I'll Email You
by unknownbyhim22
Summary: Troy and Gabriella are best friends who only know each other through email, so when they met for the first time face to face, they realize that maybe after all these years, best friends isn't what they're meant to be. Troyella!
1. A Regular Day

**I'm back, everyone! Gosh! I haven't posted anything new since August! In that time, I had to re-learn how to use FanFiction because there's a new darn layout... HSM3 has come out... I've just finished writing this 93 page story, and I'm currently doing crappy in U.S. History, but don't worry, that won't stop me from posting! **

**Besides Army Wives, this is my favorite story! My sister is obsessed with it... and well, no one else has read it yet :)! So I hope you read it and enjoy... because here it goes... it's starting!**

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Troy and Gabriella have been emailing buddies for years. They know everything about each other, from the font they use when they're happy to the amount of exclamation points after a dramatic sentence. And when they run into each other in the real world... they suddenly get to know a lot more about each other; like the sound of each other's laughs and the pounding of each other's hearts. When saying goodbye, they smile before the front door closes with an "I'll Email You."

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I'll Email You

Chapter One

A Regular Day

Gabriella was smiling deeply as she looked at her computer screen. She had gotten another email from Troy Bolton. She had never met him before, but she felt like she knew him perfectly. Gabriella felt that he was her best friend. They had met each other through a class assignment in which they had to find a pen pal, but instead of writing letters they sent emails. The class was over, but they still found themselves returning the constant emails from each other.

She scanned over the large email, separated in paragraphs and smiled as she read about his time at a basketball camp where he was teaching little kids the right way to play basketball. She laughed at his complaints and sighed at his love for life.

Gabriella was suddenly thrown out of her thoughts when something fairly hard hit the back of her head. She spun around in her computer chair and glared at her older brother who was standing in her doorway.

"Dinner's ready, dork." He said as he walked into her room, picking up the hackie-sack that he had thrown at Gabriella.

"Did you have to throw that at me to get my attention?" She asked him angrily.

"Well, when you're talking to your boyfriend, there's no way to get your attention other than hurting you physically." He said with a smirk as he walked towards the door.

Gabriella gasped and got up from her chair, following her brother out of the room.

"He is not my boyfriend. I haven't even met him in person!" Gabriella objected.

"I know. I just had to get you down for dinner and that comment always works." He smiled.

"You're such a jerk, Charlie." She huffed as she followed him into the kitchen.

"Yet people still love me." Charlie said as he smiled egotistically.

Gabriella rolled her eyes at her brother and sat down in her usual chair by the window at the kitchen table. She blinked away the steam coming up from her plate and sighed as she stabbed her fork into a piece of mini corn.

Charlie shoved his elbow into hers and she slapped him before their parents had a chance to yell at them. She looked out of the window to ignore the regular business talk between her parents and to get a chance to think about what she would say to Troy when she emailed him back.

Within an hour, Gabriella was back in her room, listening to the sound of the summer night from her open balcony doors. She was looking at her computer screen once again, tapping her mouse with her finger as she thought. She pulled her hair into a messy bun and began to write her reply.

To: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Hey Pen Pal

From: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

I cannot believe you spent your Saturday evening mopping up vomit from an exhausted eight year old! I can just see you now… basketball shorts, fancy shoes, and a mop in your right hand. Can you picture me laughing? Well, I am.

How's Charlie? Like you need to ask. He's a jerk who can't get over himself. He's just a star jock who thinks because he has a letterman's jacket, he's set for life. I may be one year younger than him, but I can see right through his little act. On a better note… he's leaving for a basketball camp where he'll be gone for THREE weeks of the summer. In that time, I will recover from the headache I now have from his hackie sack hitting my head and hang out with the girls without disgusting comments from Charlie or his friends.

Speaking of friends how's Zeke? Has he got those chocolate chip cookies right? I wish I was there to taste them! Chocolate chip is my favorite!

Well, I can hear Charlie coming up the stairs and I need to lock my door before I'm ambushed. I'll talk to you later Troy, and next time, don't try to be cool and feed all of your campers candy and soda before they play basketball.

Your Friend,

Gabriella.

P.S. The stars can be seen today! No clouds, the rain is gone. I'm now in heaven.

Oh! And wear sunscreen. We wouldn't want you getting a sun burn!

Gabriella smiled as she pressed send and leaned back in her chair. She sighed as she took in the fresh night air and slowly got up, walking over to her balcony. She picked a leaf off of her tree and picked at it as she let the wind brush against her skin. A smile crept on her face as she looked at the stars. She loved the stars; looking at them made her think that there was so much worth loving in the world and that seeing all of those great things would take so long to actually look at.

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**As much as I know you want Troy to be a real person that you can talk to you, the above email is made up. I'm sorry to disappoint you. Oh, and sorry for the short first chapter, I didn't realize it's size until now.**

**Here's my schedule: I'm not updating again until Thanksgiving Break! **

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	2. A Freedom Taken Away

**Hey everyone! This chapter is pretty short like the first one, but trust me, they get longer as we get into the story. The first few chapters are just introuducing the story. Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter Two

A Freedom Taken Away

Gabriella bolted out of her bed the next morning when she heard yelling coming from the kitchen. Her heart was pounding as she ran into the kitchen and she stopped suddenly when she saw her brother and his good friend Chad. Charlie was on the phone, yelling furiously, and Chad was nodding at him supportively.

"Tell him he can't do this to our team!" Chad shouted to Charlie.

"You can't do this to our team!"

"Tell him we have new players coming from different states that want to train at his camp and that we all can't become a team without going!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes as her brother repeated what Chad told him to say and she walked over to the refrigerator, opening it and standing into the coolness it was giving off.

"Listen, man, what are we going to do for three weeks?" Charlie asked. "We were supposed to go to your camp! You can't turn us away at the last minute…. I don't care if a team from New York wants to go there! We got the reservations first."

Gabriella's eyes widened and she slammed the refrigerator door close and marched over to Charlie, grabbing the phone from him. Her face was red and Charlie and Chad exchanged a quick look.

"What do you mean 'they're not going to the camp'?" Gabriella shouted into the phone. "What about my girl nights and pedicures! Hello? Hello, are you there?"

Gabriella slammed the phone down and grabbed Charlie's shirt in a fist. She pulled him closer to her and looked him straight in the eyes.

"You are not ruining my summer! Do you hear me?" She screeched.

She pushed Charlie out of her way and whacked Chad on the head.

"Do you ever go home, Chad?" She screeched as she left the kitchen.

Charlie and Chad looked at each other with worried expressions and laughed when they heard Gabriella screaming something about suing the basketball camp for everything that it was worth.

Later on, Gabriella was lying on her bed with a pillow tucked under her arms as she looked at the ceiling. She had tears in her eyes for her summer gone wrong and for having to have a stupid older brother. There was a knock on the door, but she ignored it. The door opened anyways and Charlie stepped into her room.

"Coach just called and said that our camp is going to be held at school. It'll probably be all day so I'm sure you can have fun when I'm there." Charlie said.

"Did Mom and Dad make you come up here?" Gabriella asked.

"Yup." Charlie admitted as he annoyingly looked around Gabriella's room.

"I'm having the team over on Friday. We have to meet the kids coming in from California to play." He told Gabriella.

"Fine. I won't be here anyways." Gabriella answered.

"Did you finally get accepted to that science camp and you are never coming back?" Charlie asked hopefully.

Gabriella chucked one of her pillows at him and pointed to her bedroom door.

"I'm going out with Jeremy." She said as she shook her head at him.

"Ew, Gabriella, he's such a loser. Dump him while you still can." Charlie said as a look of disgust appeared on his face at the thought of his sister kissing anyone like Jeremy.

"He's not a loser." Gabriella said as she turned her back away from him.

"He is, but that's okay, I guess. Two losers must some how equal out to be a winner." He chuckled.

"Goodnight, Charlie." Gabriella said as she closed her eyes to hold back her tears.

"Night."

"Do me a favor before you leave though?" Gabriella said quickly.

"Depends."

"Ask Mom and Dad if they can put you up for adoption." Gabriella told him.

"I'll see what I can do." Charlie said as he closed the door behind him.

Gabriella was about to fall asleep to forget about her horrible day when she heard her computer make a small ringing noise. She smiled and crawled off of her bed, scouting over to her computer chair. She looked at her inbox for a minute, thanking Troy silently for emailing at a moment when she needed to hear from someone other than her brother.

To: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Change of plans

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Well, Gabriella, I'm so glad you got a laugh out of my misery. Although I'm going to miss those little kids, I'm done and excited about it! I just got home, but apparently I'm moving. My dad's company is being transferred to God only knows where and we're going along for the ride, I guess. I'll be playing basketball though, so as long as I'm doing that all of the time, I'll be okay.

Zeke is coming with me, actually. His parents have been traveling the world on some quest to protect wild birds, so my parents insisted that he came along with me. His chocolate chip cookies are the best and he is now working on his pecan vanilla cookies along with his skills on picking up girls. I think he is going through some kind of crisis. He wants to find a girl who will try all of his desserts without complaining about getting fat. Know anyone interested in an eighteen year old cookie master?

So, I might not be able to talk to you for a few days because I'll be moving into my new house and won't have access to a computer, but I'll be thinking of you.

Your Friend,

Troy.

P.S. See anything you like in those stars? I'll look at them too to see if I can find a favorite star or something. Dorky much? Well, look what you have done to me, Gabriella.

Gabriella smiled softly and shut her computer off without replying. She had time to think of something interesting to say while he moved. She looked at the night sky and smiled. Maybe Troy was looking at the stars, too? The thought of seeing what he was seeing made her forget about her three weeks of freedom that she would not get anymore.

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**I'll update tomorrow if I get 16 more reviews in that time. It should be easy if everyone who reviewed last time reviews again!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	3. Troy and Zeke

**Hey Everyone! You're great! I got two more reviews than I wished for. Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving everyone... sorry it's a day late! Okay, well this chapter is much longer. Enjoy. **

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I'll Email You

Chapter three

Troy and Zeke

Gabriella walked slowly out of her house with a gym bag of Charlie's stuff that he stupidly forgot before he went to his basketball camp. Her mom was making her take it to him since he wouldn't be able to come back to get it. Gabriella chucked the bag in the passenger's seat and put her key in the ignition, driving off to East High.

She thought about her date with Jeremy the weekend before and rolled her eyes at the memory. Jeremy was a loser, and though she never would admit it, Charlie had been right all along. Jeremy only talked about himself and football, never once asking anything about Gabriella or caring about anything that didn't involve him.

She sighed as she stepped out of her car, noting that her summer was being wasted away with basketball schedules and Charlie's friends roaming the house. She wished that she could have a day with Sharpay and Taylor without having to worry about her brother embarrassing her.

East High looked calm as she walked up to it. The usual crowd of people that she saw during the school year was not there and she smiled as she walked through the hallway without being shoved out of someone's way. She heard squeaking of shoes and whistles being blown in the gym and carefully opened the gym door.

The team was doing drills and she stood to the side of the bleachers as she watched. A tall, shaggy-haired guy was drinking a bottle of water and he was watching the drills intently. His skin shimmered from the sweat that was covering his body.

"Excuse me." Gabriella said quickly before he could walk back out onto the court.

He turned to look at her and she shifted in her spot when he scanned up and down her body with his eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked once he tore his eyes away from her tan legs.

"Um… do you think you can give this bag to Charlie?" She asked as she pointed to the bag she was carrying.

He walked closer to her and took the bag from her with a smile. She couldn't help but feel that she had met him before. His eyes seemed so familiar to her.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Gabriella asked after a minute of staring at him.

"I'm not sure. Who exactly are you?" He asked her with a small chuckle.

Gabriella felt herself blush and she smiled as she scratched an itch on her right elbow.

"I'm Charlie's sister." She said.

"Hi, Charlie's sister." He grinned.

"Oh, I mean, I'm Gabriella." She laughed with a nod.

She noticed how his eyes lit up and he slowly set Charlie's bag down on the ground. He stuck his hand out to shake hers and she smiled as his hand wrapped around hers.

"I'm Troy Bolton."

Gabriella's eyes widened and her smile grew.

"Are you serious?" She asked almost in a whisper.

"I am." Troy smiled.

Gabriella squealed and hugged him tightly, laughing as he laughed too, hugging her back. She didn't care that he was covered in sweat or that her brother was probably watching them now, she was too happy to think about anything else other than the fact that she was hugging Troy Bolton.

"I can't believe it's you." Gabriella smiled as she looked up at him.

"I can't believe it's _you_." He said with a nod.

"I don't know what to say!" Gabriella explained with a laugh.

"Well, I know you can go home." They heard from next to them.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she saw Charlie and a few of his teammates standing a couple of feet away from her. Gabriella picked up his bag and chucked it at him.

"You forgot your bag, idiot." She told him.

"I don't really need it." Charlie said as he glared at her.

"Well, try explaining that to mom." Gabriella said as her car keys jingled in her hand.

Gabriella glanced at the guy who was now standing next to Troy. She smiled at his shirt that said _get over it; I bake_ and figured that he was Zeke.

"Why were you hugging my teammate?" Charlie asked.

"Is there a rule that says I can't?" Gabriella asked with a sigh.

"No, but there should be." Charlie stated.

"I've known Troy for a while." Gabriella said with a small smile.

"How?"

"He's the guy I've been emailing." Gabriella told him.

"No, way." The guy who Gabriella thought was Zeke said. "You're Gabriella Montez?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's me." Gabriella smiled.

"I'm Zeke Baylor, I've heard _a lot_ about you." He said as he shook her hand.

"I've heard a lot about you too." Gabriella smiled.

"Wait, thanks to you I never see my sister." Charlie said as he looked directly at Troy.

"Um… sorry, man." Troy said as a look of guilt formed on his face.

"No, seriously, _thank_ you!" Charlie said with a smile. "I don't have to deal with her hormonal crap half as much as I did before she started emailing you!"

"You're welcome?" Troy said unsurely.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and shot her brother a harsh glare.

"When you get home, Charlie, Sharpay and Taylor will be over, so don't bug us, okay?" Gabriella asked as she started to walk towards the gym doors.

"Can I come over?" Chad asked.

"No, Chad." Gabriella said as she turned to face the group again. "And for the last time, Taylor is not interested in you."

"She totally is!" Chad said surely.

"Dude, you don't have to ask my sister's permission to come over." Charlie told him. "You all can come over after practice."

Gabriella shook her head as she looked at her brother and wished she never said anything about her plan with her friends. The last thing she wanted was her brother's team at her house. She smiled at Troy and Zeke before she pushed the gym doors open and left, walking down the hallway with excitement bubbling in her stomach.

Sharpay was singing along to the radio as she sat next to Taylor who was reading a magazine on Gabriella's bed. They had just given each other manicures and pedicures and they were waiting for their nails to dry before they did anything else. The girls sighed as they heard the loud voices of the basketball team coming into the house from downstairs.

"So, you actually met Troy?" Taylor asked Gabriella who was brushing her hair in front of her bathroom mirror.

"Yeah! I didn't believe it at first, but he seemed so familiar to me." Gabriella smiled.

"Is he cute?" Sharpay asked.

Gabriella smiled as she stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards her friends, sitting down next to them.

"You have no idea! His eyes, oh my God!" Gabriella explained.

"Is he how you pictured him?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, but even cuter." Gabriella replied. "Oh, and you know his friend I told you about… Zeke?"

"The amazing baker?" Sharpay sighed dreamingly.

"He's here too." Gabriella said with a smile.

Sharpay gasped and almost fell off of Gabriella's bed, but grabbed onto her head board before she could fall off. She fanned her face and took a few yoga breaths to calm herself down.

"You okay there, Sharpay?" Taylor laughed.

"I think so. I can't breath, but I'll be fine." She stated.

"Do you want to go meet him?" Gabriella suggested.

"I couldn't! I'd be way too nervous." Sharpay said with a quick nod

"All you have to do is say hi. It'll be easy."

"That's easy for you to say, you've grown up with a brother." Sharpay explained.

"Uh, Shar, so have you." Taylor said with a laugh.

"He doesn't count. He's my twin, so he's pretty much a guy version of me." Sharpay explained.

"Well, do you want to go or not?" Gabriella asked Sharpay as she watched her face expressions change with thought.

"Let's go." She smiled.

The girls were walking down the stairs as they whispered quick comments about each other's hair and clothing choices. Gabriella laughed at Sharpay's panicking voice and stopped at the end of the stairs before revealing them into the downstairs.

"Calm down." Gabriella smiled as she looked at Sharpay.

"I can't breath." Sharpay repeated for the fiftieth time.

"You don't have anything to worry about, come on." Gabriella said as she stepped into the hallway and looked at the kitchen full of guys.

Sharpay and Taylor followed Gabriella into the kitchen where they saw the showered and changed basketball team. They smiled shyly and Gabriella stopped in the middle of the kitchen calmly.

"Gabriella, get lost." Charlie said when he saw her.

"No. I told you I was having friends over, so we can be here if we want to." Gabriella stated.

"Well, what do you want?" Charlie asked.

"Sharpay wants to meet Zeke." Gabriella said, getting elbowed in the side by Sharpay for making her sound obsessive.

Gabriella spotted Zeke turn around on the bar stool he was sitting at by the island in the middle of the kitchen. She smiled at him and he smiled back. The girls walked over to him as the rest of the team resumed their conversation. Troy was sitting next to Zeke and turned around when they came over.

"Zeke, this is my friend, Sharpay Evans. Sharpay, this is Zeke Baylor." Gabriella smiled as she pointed from Zeke to Sharpay.

"It's nice to meet you." Zeke said as he shook her hand.

Gabriella gave Sharpay a little push to make her squeak out a reply and then looked at Troy.

"Troy, this is Taylor. Taylor this is Troy." She said with a smile.

"How's that charity project going?" Troy asked as he shook her hand.

"It's great. Thanks for asking." Taylor said with a smile.

Chad eyed Troy suspiciously from his spot next to Charlie and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the girls interact with them so willingly. They were smiley and happy and Chad wondered why.

"So you like to bake?" Sharpay asked.

"Yeah, do you like cookies?" Zeke asked hopefully.

"Love them." Sharpay stated with a smile. "Actually, my parents are having some kind of business dinner and they needed someone to bake all of the desserts… if you want me to, I can refer you to them." Sharpay said.

"Really? So like a job, huh?" Zeke asked.

"Yeah, I mean, if you only bake for fun, I totally understand." Sharpay said with a nod.

"No, I'd love to." Zeke smiled.

"Well, I'll talk to them. They usually pay like five grand, unless you have a certain amount you want…they go all out so…"

Zeke's eyes widened and Sharpay slowly stopped talking.

"Five grand to bake some cookies?" Zeke asked in almost a whisper.

Sharpay nodded with a smirk. Zeke smiled brightly and stood up from his bar stool and gave Sharpay a big bear hug. Gabriella and Taylor smiled at each other when they saw Sharpay's face expression and Troy laughed quietly.

"Alright, Gabriella, please, can you go?" Charlie asked. "You and your friends keep hugging my teammates." He said as he and Chad walked over to them.

"Whatever, Charlie." Gabriella said as she carefully pulled Sharpay away from Zeke.

The girls disappeared out of the kitchen and Zeke smiled as he heard Sharpay squeal in excitement from the hallway. Chad was glaring at Troy and Troy cleared his throat awkwardly.

"You okay, Chad?" He asked.

"How did you get Taylor to talk to you?" He asked.

"Umm… I talked to her first." Troy said slowly.

"Well, I do that too, but she always ends up yelling at me." Chad explained as he sat down in the bar stool next to Troy.

"Maybe you shouldn't make degrading comments about her body." Troy suggested.

"How do you know I do that?" Chad asked in confusion.

"Gabriella and I have known each other since ninth grade… she's told me about you and Taylor." Troy explained.

Chad shook his head at the thought.

"Just work on being polite and stuff and everything will work out." Troy suggested.

"Californian guys must be the heartthrobs of America, because I have no idea how they do this." Chad sighed as he ran his hands through his hair as he leaned against the counter on his elbows.

Troy laughed and patted him on the shoulder, smiling as he thought about his day. The girls were excited as they stepped back into Gabriella's room and after a few minutes of Sharpay squealing and jumping around the room, they sat on Gabriella's balcony and looked up at the stars, watching as the basketball players left the house one by one.

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**Love it? Hate it? Review and I'll update ASAP!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	4. The Boltons

**Hey everyone! Thanks for reviewing! I'm loving you all! Okay, so this chapter isn't as long as the last, but I like it. This chapter is dedicated to **abovecitylights**! I loved your review/rambling- very cute! Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter four

The Boltons

Gabriella rubbed the sleep out of her eyes the next morning as she watched her computer slowly turn on. She clicked on her email icon and then opened her unread message. She smiled when she saw Troy's email.

To: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: I can't believe I met you

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

I still can't believe that I'm emailing you right now and I know exactly what you look like and the sound of your laugh. Can you believe that we meet after almost two years of emailing each other? I'm such an idiot, actually. I should have put the pieces together the minute I met Charlie and Chad for the first time. Charlie isn't as bad as you made him out to be… he's pretty cool, but then again, I'm not his younger sister… obviously.

I actually have some new news. Zeke is obsessed with your friend Sharpay. He's trying to come up with a new cookie recipe for her. He's thinking about a Blondie and strawberry cookie. Apparently Blondie brownies now remind him of her so he's making a Blondie cookie and she was wearing pink yesterday, so he's making it strawberry. I've never seen him like this, but he's happy, so I'm glad.

So, Gabriella Montez, how are you since I saw you yesterday? Is anything interesting happening with you? Is your summer as bad as you said it was going to be with Charlie here?

Your Friend,

Troy Bolton

P.S. Do you want to hang out this afternoon after I get back from basketball camp? I was thinking you could come over and we could actually have a conversation in person.

Gabriella pressed the reply button at the top of the email and set her hands on the key board. She tapped the "H" key as she thought of what to say and smiled as she started to type away.

To: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Re: I can't believe I met you

From: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

I can't believe it either! I never imagined that I would get the chance to meet you. I never thought it was possible and it's weird that Charlie is the cause of it… I should thank him, but that would ruin my relationship with him. Well, Charlie to me is still a pain, but I totally give you permission to think he's a cool guy. :)

You should have seen Sharpay after she met Zeke! After hearing about this mysterious baker, she was already obsessed with him, but seeing him in real life and talking to him made her officially crazy. She was dancing around like there was no tomorrow. That is the cutest and most thoughtful thing I've ever heard of! He's making a "Sharpay cookie"! She'll probably cry (In a good way).

My summer is going much better than I thought it was headed. Anything interesting with me? Hmm, well, I'm going to this basketball player's house to talk in person. :) _Where _exactly do you live? That's pretty much the extent of my activities for now. I'll talk to you later!

Your Friend,

Gabriella Montez

P.S. I still want to email even if we talk in person all of the time. It makes us, us.

Gabriella hit send once she was finally finished and walked toward her bathroom to get ready for the day. After taking a shower, putting on some make up, getting dressed, and letting her hair air dry, Gabriella headed downstairs. She breathed in the morning air and smiled as she walked into the kitchen without being hit with something or having a nasty comment from her brother thrown her way. The house was peacefully quiet with her parents and brother gone and she snuggled onto the couch after getting her bowl of cereal.

After doing a million loads of laundry Gabriella finally smiled at the clock, excited that it was now time to go over to Troy's house. She grabbed her cell phone and slipped it in her pocket, smiling as she stepped out onto her porch and made her way towards Troy's house. She decided to walk since it was only a few blocks away and she inhaled the warm afternoon air.

Charlie had gotten home about an hour and a half earlier. He asked where she was going when she was leaving the house, but she ignored him with a sigh and texted him as she walked along the side walk.

"Troy's house." She texted to him.

"Don't make out with him! You could ruin his excellent basketball skills." Charlie texted back.

"By kissing him? You're an idiot." She texted as she rolled her eyes at her annoying brother.

"Just don't."

"I won't. That would be totally weird! Stop texting me."

"You started it." Charlie texted back with an evil smiley face icon.

Gabriella shook her head and put her phone back into her pocket, looking back up at her surroundings. She spotted Troy playing basketball in his driveway a few minutes later and she smiled as he waved happily.

"You're not sick of basketball yet?" Gabriella asked with a laugh as she made her way up the driveway to where Troy was standing.

"Not yet." He smiled as he hugged her softly.

Gabriella smiled as she smelt the soap on his skin and she looked up at him from her position in his arms.

"So how are you Troy Bolton?" She asked.

"I'm very well, Gabriella Montez. It's been too long since I last saw you though." He smiled at the proper greeting as he removed his arms from around her and tossed her an extra basketball.

"You saw me two days ago." Gabriella laughed as she dribbled her basketball slowly.

"But now that I've seen you after almost three years, two days is too long to wait." He told her.

"That is very true. We've done too much waiting." She laughed as she tossed the ball in the basket, hearing an 'oh' sound from Troy.

"So I see Charlie taught you how to play?" Troy asked with a smile.

"As much as I would love to give him the credit…" Gabriella started sarcastically, smiling when Troy eyed her with a smirk. "I taught myself."

"I'm not surprised." Troy smiled as he dribbled the basketball easily.

"So how are doing in a new place? Do you miss California?" Gabriella asked as she squinted away the afternoon sun.

"It doesn't really feel like I left home. I mean, it's a new house and everything, but I'm still playing basketball and my best friends are with me." He said as he smiled over at her, winking at her as she laughed.

"Well, I'm glad this isn't torture being here." Gabriella replied with a nod.

"Definitely not torture." Troy laughed as he made another basket.

"So, where's Zeke?" Gabriella asked as she watched Troy.

"At Sharpay's," Troy smirked. "Baking."

"Baking, huh?" Gabriella questioned with a laugh.

"So I'm told." Troy replied with a chuckle.

They were quiet for a few minutes as they continued to dribble the basketballs and make baskets. Troy spun his basketball in his hands and looked over at Gabriella who was picking up her basketball from the grass behind the basketball net.

"This is kind of awkward." Troy admitted, making Gabriella breathe a sigh of relief.

"You feel that too?" She asked with a small laugh as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I mean, it's cool actually seeing you after knowing you for so long, but I don't really know what to talk about." Troy explained.

"Me either." Gabriella answered with a nod. "But it's nice to actually hear you laugh instead of reading 'LOL'." Gabriella told him.

Troy laughed out loud, nodding his head in agreement. He smiled at Gabriella and sighed.

"I'm sure we can find something to talk about. We can just keep making each other laugh." Troy smiled.

Gabriella laughed and nodded and was about to say something when she heard someone say Troy's name in annoyance.

"Troy Bolton." They heard, turning to face the end of the driveway. "I told you to put the trash cans in the garage this morning and they're still sitting in the street." A middle aged woman said as she made her way up the driveway with a trashcan in her right hand and a work bag on her left shoulder.

"Sorry Mom. I kind of forgot." Troy said to the lady walking up to him.

He glanced at Gabriella who was laughing softly at him and she smiled at his mom. Mrs. Bolton looked over at Gabriella and then back at Troy, giving him a suspicious look.

"Who's this?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, right, this is Gabriella Montez, Mom." He said with a proud smile.

"Hi." Gabriella said somewhat shyly.

"Gabriella Montez?!" Mrs. Bolton repeated in excitement.

"That's me. It's nice to meet you." Gabriella said with a nod.

"Are you serious?" She asked the two teenagers in front of her. "I've heard so much about you! You're so much more prettier than I imagined." She said as she set the garbage can down and pulled Gabriella into a welcoming hug.

Gabriella smiled at Troy as she hugged his mom and she laughed as they separated. Troy gave his mom an embarrassed look and she ignored him with a roll of her eyes.

"I've heard a lot about you too, Mrs. Bolton." Gabriella admitted.

"Call me Mariah. Mrs. Bolton makes me feel old." She said with a laugh as she patted Gabriella on the arm.

"Okay." Gabriella smiled.

"Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm sure Jack would love to meet you!"

"I wouldn't want to intrude." Gabriella answered with a shrug.

"Nonsense! You're always welcome!" She smiled as she walked towards the garage. "This is just wonderful!" Mrs. Bolton said as she disappeared into the house.

"That was embarrassing." Troy said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"She's awesome! You have like the best mom." Gabriella said with a nod.

"Well, I'm glad you think so." Troy said with a smile, tossing Gabriella her ball back, which she had dropped when she hugged Mrs. Bolton.

"She looks so much like you." Gabriella said in awe.

"Really? Everyone says I look like my dad." Troy explained.

"Well, I guess I'll have to see him at dinner." Gabriella said. "Gosh, this is so great. I'm eating dinner at Troy Bolton's house. I never thought I'd ever say that."

"Gabriella Montez is eating over at my house. I never thought I'd say that."

Gabriella squealed softly and skipped over to Troy, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so glad I met you!" She admitted.

Troy smiled as he hugged her back and as they played more basketball, they talked about the Bolton's, glad that they had something to talk about. They noticed the smiles that never left their faces and excitement fluttered in their stomachs as they talked.

Gabriella and Troy were in the kitchen with Mrs. Bolton, talking as they helped make dinner when Mr. Bolton came in. He was in his work clothes, a tired expression on his face, but he was smiling when he saw his family.

"Smells good." He smiled as he kissed Mrs. Bolton on her cheek.

"It's your favorite." Mrs. Bolton told him.

"All of your cooking is my favorite." Mr. Bolton flirted with a smile. "How was practice Troy?"

"Good." Troy said with a nod.

Mr. Bolton nodded and he soon spotted Gabriella by the kitchen sink, smiling as she watched him. He gave Troy an impressed smile and glanced at Mrs. Bolton who was giving him a that's-what-I-thought look.

"So Troy who is this?" Mr. Bolton asked.

"This is Gabriella Montez." Troy said for the second time that day.

"As in your pen pal that you can't stop talking about?" Mr. Bolton asked in surprise.

Gabriella blushed slightly as Troy laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, Dad, that's her." Troy said as he rolled his eyes.

"You're so much prettier than I imagined!" He exclaimed as he nodded.

"Thanks." Gabriella blushed.

Troy rolled his eyes once again, embarrassed at the similar reaction both of his parents had. He glanced at Gabriella who was smiling shyly and noticed how his parents were telepathically communicating between themselves. He sighed and shook his head.

"I can't believe you two met after all of this time. It's fate." Mr. Bolton said as he shook his head in disbelief.

"It sure is." Gabriella nodded awkwardly.

"Well, I'm going to get out of these work clothes and we can all talk more later." Mr. Bolton said as he made his was towards the exit.

"Why don't you two set the table?" Mrs. Bolton suggested as she turned to look at them from her spot at the stove.

The teens nodded and collected the silverware and dishes for the table, walking into the dinning room. Within a few more minutes everyone was seated at the Bolton's dinning room table eating. Troy was sitting next to Gabriella, across from his dad and they laughed as they talked.

"So Gabriella, how old are you?" Mr. Bolton asked as he took a sip of his water.

"I'll be turning seventeen when school starts." She told him with a nod.

"Are you planning on going to college?" He asked.

"Gosh, Dad, what's with the questions?" Troy asked as he put a cooked carrot in his mouth.

"I want to know all about this girl I've heard about for almost three years." Mr. Bolton chuckled.

Gabriella smiled and nudged Troy with her elbow, indicating that she had no problem with the load of questions.

"I _am_ planning on going to college." Gabriella answered with a smile when Mr. Bolton looked back at her.

"Have you thought about which ones?" Mrs. Bolton asked.

"I'd be happy pretty much anywhere. I'll probably end up at the University of Albuquerque just because it's the cheapest and it's close to home, but if I had it my way, I'd want to go to Stanford or Yale." Gabriella explained to them.

"Wow, that's very prestigious of you." Mr. Bolton said, satisfied.

Gabriella shrugged casually and glanced over at a smirking Troy.

"You're Charlie's sister, right?" Mrs. Bolton asked.

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh as she answered.

"Yeah." She sighed.

"You poor thing." Mrs. Bolton responded. "If the whole basketball team was at my house all of the time I would go crazy."

"I've definitely learned to lock the bathroom doors when they're over. I've had way too many embarrassing encounters to count." Gabriella admitted with a laugh.

Mrs. Bolton let out a loud laugh as she heard Gabriella's reply, nodding knowingly. Troy chuckled softly and Mr. Bolton smiled.

"Well, Gabriella, it was nice having you over." Mrs. Bolton said from the front door after dinner was over and the dishes were washed.

"Thanks for inviting me. I've never had such great food." Gabriella smiled.

Mrs. Bolton smiled widely and Mr. Bolton wrapped his arm around his wife as he came up to the front door to say goodbye.

"I hope to see you around here soon." Mr. Bolton said with a small wave.

Gabriella smiled and was about to turn to leave when Troy came jogging from the kitchen. He smiled as he moved past his parents and stood next to Gabriella.

"I'll walk you home." He smiled.

"Thanks." Gabriella smiled as the front door closed.

They walked along the sidewalk, enjoying the comfortable silence between them as the stars twinkled in the sky. Gabriella inhaled deeply and smiled as she looked into the sky and Troy looked at her with a smile.

"Are you excited?" He asked as he put his hands in his pocket.

"About what?" Gabriella asked as she crinkled her eyebrows together.

"The stars are out." Troy replied.

Gabriella smiled deeply, knowing that Troy was aware of her obsession with stars. She bumped him with her arm and he snaked his arm around her shoulder in a friendly manner as she put her arm around his waist.

"You know me too well." She laughed as they continued to walk.

"What are best friends for?" He smiled.

Gabriella smiled and leaned into his side as she giggled quietly and they separated when they got to Gabriella's front door. The lights in the house were off and she sighed with a smile.

"I'll email you." Troy smiled with a nod.

"Okay." She nodded. "Thanks for walking me home."

"Anytime." Troy replied. "Goodnight."

"Night." Gabriella said as she stepped into her dark house, leaving Troy to walk back home alone.

Gabriella walked into the kitchen and put the light above the stove on to leave some light in the house and then she went upstairs, carefully finding her way through the dark hallway. She stopped by Charlie's room when she saw his TV light on, walking over to it to shut it off when she saw that he was sleeping and then went into her room, smiling as she got ready for bed.

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**unknownbyhim22**


	5. Girls Just Want To Have Fun

**Wow everyone! I am so sorry for not updating! I was planning on updating Wednesday, but my internet wasn't working and then on Friday my dad tried fixing our computer... and lets just say it didn't really work out. Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I love you guys! Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter five

Girls Wanna Have Fun; Boys Wanna Ruin It

_"Girls just wanna have fun. The phone rings in the middle of the night, my father yells what'cha ganna do with your life…"_

Gabriella's music played as she ran along the street, filling the silence that her mind was set at. The morning sun fell against her bare back and she adjusted her short shorts as she turned onto her street. She stared out in front of her, concentrating on the same grey-white color of the sidewalk that she had looked at for the past three miles, ignoring the pain her legs were currently in.

She smiled a relieved smile when her house came into view and she did a dance in her mind as she skipped up her front porch stairs. She ran into the house, pulling out her headphones as she made her way into the kitchen. She stopped abruptly and stumbled forward when she came face to face with the basketball team.

It was only ten thirty! They were already here? She thought as she scanned the room for her brother's face. They guys' had their eyes glued to her, even Troy and Zeke and she shifted uncomfortably in her spot. Typical boys; staring with their mouths fallen open, quiet in a matter of seconds.

"Charlie!" Gabriella scowled her brother quickly. "Why are they here so early?"

"We thought we'd hang out before practice." He explained with a shrug as he put a few grapes in his mouth.

"You could have told me that before I left for my jog to save me from this awkward moment!" Gabriella told her brother with a shake of her head.

"What awkward moment?" Charlie asked her, mumbling through his full mouth.

Gabriella plucked her sports bra strap, making it smack against her hot skin, indicating that her outfit was pretty embarrassing to show off.

"It's not my fault that you run in your underwear." Charlie said honestly.

Gabriella groaned as Troy chuckled accidentally and she shot him a warning look as she walked across the kitchen towards the fridge. She pulled out a water bottle and closed the refrigerator quickly.

"I need to spend some time with girls." Gabriella mumbled as she shook her head, heading out of the kitchen.

She walked to her room, finally aware of her aching body and she walked over to her bathroom, setting her water bottle down on the counter. She looked at herself in her mirror and groaned at her sweaty figure. She sighed and shut the bathroom door, making sure it was locked securely.

"_When the working day is done, oh, girls just wanna have fun, they wanna have fun!"_

Gabriella was walking out of her room in blue shorts and a white tank top with an aqua bikini underneath. She had gotten a phone call from Sharpay after she took a shower, inviting her over for a swim with the girls and there was no way Gabriella was going to pass up girl time.

She found her keys in the kitchen drawer and walked to her car, slipping onto the hot leather seat and made her way to Sharpay's house. She smiled as she waited on Sharpay's front porch once she rang the doorbell.

"Hey, Gabriella!" Ryan said when he answered the door with a smile. "Sharpay and Taylor are in the back."

"Thanks. Nice sunglasses." Gabriella complemented as she walked past him, down the long hallway of Sharpay's house to the back French doors.

Every time Gabriella stepped out onto the Evan's back patio and looked out at the huge backyard, she felt like she was stepping into a music video. The sky looked bluer than it really was against the crystal water of the pool and the stone walk ways circled around the backyard. She waved at Sharpay and Taylor once they spotted her by the door and she walked over to them, smiling as she set her beach bag on her usual chair.

"You have no idea how thankful I am to be here, out of my boy-packed house." Gabriella told her friends as she pulled her sunglasses over her eyes.

"I'm happy that I could save you." Sharpay smiled as she stood up from her chair, where she was just applying a new coat of number fifteen SPF suntan lotion. "Ready to float?" She asked in excitement.

"Yup." Taylor said for Gabriella as she stood up from her chair, adjusting her pink arm floaties on her arms.

Gabriella smiled at her friends and left her shorts and shirt on her chair before they all lay on the raft big enough for all three of them to lie on. They laughed as they got situated on the floating raft and eventually they were settled, ready to tan, and practically napping.

"Zeke's coming over after practice to bake desserts for my parents to try." Sharpay told the girls in a relaxed voice as they floated along.

"You must be excited." Gabriella assumed with a smile as she kept her eyes closed.

"I am." Sharpay sighed with a smile.

"Chad asked about you today, Taylor." Gabriella smirked.

"How many times do I have to reject him?" Taylor asked her friends in annoyance, hearing their mumbled 'I don't knows' as they all stayed perfectly planted in their spots. "I mean, he's totally disgusting."

"How long has he liked you, Tay?" Sharpay asked with a small laugh.

"Gosh, I don't know, since middle school." Taylor said in disbelief.

"That's funny." Gabriella admitted.

"Maybe to you, but he's always throwing disgusting comments at me and now I'm starting to hear his voice when he's not around! I'll be looking at my outfit in the mirror and I'll just hear…"

"Ta-ay-lor! You're looking hot!"

"Yeah, you said that really well, Gabriella." Taylor laughed.

"Uh… that wasn't me." Gabriella said slowly.

"Oh my God, keep your eyes shut! Maybe it was just the wind!" Taylor whispered in a panicking voice.

Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut tighter when she felt a constant stream of water on her stomach, hoping that when she opened her eyes, she wouldn't find anyone squirting her with what she knew in reality was a squirt gun. The girls groaned and slowly opened their eyes. They saw black dots at first, but as their eyes adjusted to the bright sun, there they were… the stupid-always-there basketball team.

"Charlie!" Gabriella shouted. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" She protested as he squirted her in the face with a hand held squirt gun.

"Guys! I swear!" They heard Zeke say as he walked quickly over towards his teammates from the back doors of the Evan's house. "If you ruin this job for me by traumatizing the girls, I'll kill each and every one of you!" He threatened.

The team laughed quietly at Zeke and the girls looked over at him, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Sorry, Shar, they followed me here." Zeke said with a sigh. "I tried to stop them."

"It's okay." Sharpay said as she smiled softly at Zeke. "Everyone, but Zeke and Troy can leave." She glared at the team and Charlie held her gaze.

"All for one. Team rule." He stared at her and she glared deeper at him.

"Charlie, this isn't funny!" Gabriella told her brother. "Hasn't your team seen me half naked enough today?!" She asked, getting you-have-some-explaining-to-do looks from Sharpay and Taylor.

"No." One of them coughed.

Gabriella scanned the group seriously, trying to figure out who the punk that 'coughed' was and she guessed he was the one Troy shoved, smiling softly. Sharpay sighed deeply and a defeated look appeared on her face.

"Fine, but don't interrupt Zeke or us! There's a basketball court inside." She admitted to them.

"We don't want to play basketball." Charlie smirked.

"Then go home." Sharpay said as she crossed her arms and leaned back onto the raft.

The girls followed her lead, ignoring the guys and before long, their raft moved with the wild current of the water as Charlie did a cannon ball in the deep end of the water, followed by the rest of the team, except Troy, Zeke, and Chad. The girls screamed, covered in water and slipping off of the raft.

"Taylor!" Gabriella screeched once she came up from underneath the water, knowing her best friend didn't know how to swim.

Troy felt his heart beat a little faster as he saw Gabriella's panicked look and he sprinted to the other side of the pool, sinking his arm into the pool and pulling Taylor up in one swift movement. Taylor's eyes were wide in horror and she let out a relieved sigh as she gave Troy a wet hug.

"Thank you." She said out of breath.

"No problem." He said with a small smile, already knowing about her lack of swimming ability, all thanks to his emails with Gabriella.

"Are you okay?!" Gabriella, Sharpay, and Chad asked as they scurried over to Troy and Taylor.

"I'm fine." Taylor said confidently.

"Good, 'cause you're too hot to lose!" Chad said with a nod.

The group groaned in annoyance and together they pushed Chad into the pool with ease. Sharpay nodded in satisfaction and skipped over to Zeke, taking him inside to talk with her parents. Gabriella smiled at Troy, his wet right sleeve, making her laugh softly. She instantly got back to the recent almost-drowning-best-friend problem and rushed up to the side of the pool, peering down at the basketball team.

"Charlie! You could have killed Taylor!" Gabriella shouted at her brother.

"Yeah, not cool, man." Chad said as he tossed a blow up basketball into a small net at the deep end of the pool.

"Stop yelling, sis." Charlie laughed.

"I'm not going to stop yelling! When I get my hands on you I'm going to--" She was cut off when Charlie leaped up and grabbed her, pulling her into the pool.

Gabriella slapped the water with her hands as she came up for air and she glared at Charlie and the team as they laughed loudly.

"I hate you." She told Charlie angrily as she grabbed the raft her and her friends were just sitting on and sat down on the edge, dangling her feet into the water.

"Troy, man, come on in!" One of his teammates said as he tossed Troy the pool basketball.

Troy laughed, catching the basketball and he flicked his flip flops off and took his shirt off, tossing it on Gabriella's chair before he jumped into the water. Gabriella couldn't help but gasp when she saw Troy's toned body. She knew, obviously because of Charlie, that the whole team was well built, but seeing Troy, her emailing buddy, and best friend looking that good made her sweat. Taylor shot her a look from her spot on the lounge chair and Gabriella smiled, telling Taylor she was just as shocked as she was.

Taylor and Gabriella's secret communicating stopped when Gabriella was suddenly being splashed. She squinted her eyes to keep out the water and spit the water away as it entered her mouth. She laughed quietly as the person stopped and she eyed Troy as he walked over to her in the shallow end.

"Are you scared of the deep end?" He asked with a chuckle as he put his hands on either side of her, pulling the raft with him.

"Maybe." Gabriella smirked.

Troy nodded, knowing that Gabriella and her friends weren't big fans of being in the water because of Taylor's inexperience and because all three of them had their almost drowning moments when they were younger.

"Do you trust me?" Troy asked as he raised his eyebrow.

"If I say no are you going to be crushed?" Gabriella teased him, nodding after to indicate that, yes, she did trust him.

"I won't let you drown." He said honestly. "The deep end isn't that bad."

"Promise not to let go of me? There are a lot of people in here and I could drift off and you never know I could suddenly lose my swimming skills and drown." Gabriella babbled, trying to delay the fact that she was going to end up in the deep end again.

Troy laughed and shook his head, pulling Gabriella off of the raft. Gabriella, not expecting the sudden action, tightened her grasp around Troy's neck and screeched softly. Troy laughed again and walked a little bit before he reached the deep end.

"You're a wimp." He smiled as he treaded water with Gabriella at his side.

Gabriella rolled her eyes with a smile, shoving Troy lightly. Chad swam over to the side of the pool by the shallow end where Taylor's chair was at and he leaned against the wall as he spoke to Taylor.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" Chad asked. "I'll hold onto you like Troy is holding Gabriella! I won't let you drown." He said with a flirty smile.

Taylor peered over her magazine she was currently reading and raised her eyebrows as she looked at Chad.

"No thanks." She said in a monotone voice.

"Please." Chad begged.

"No." Taylor said again.

Chad sighed and pushed himself up and out of the pool. He walked over to Taylor and stood next to her, peering down at her.

"You're dripping on me." She told him as she flipped her page. "And you better not throw me in."

"Since you won't get in the pool, I'll get out." Chad told her, sitting down next to her.

Taylor pulled out her Ipod and placed her headphones on, scanning over her magazine. Chad looked over at her in disappointment, but at the same time, he was happy to be sitting next to her, getting the opportunity to be close to her. He leaned back into his chair, closed his eyes, and sighed, and Taylor looked at him, and smiled.

_"Some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world; I wanna be the one to walk in the sun, oh, girls wanna have fun." _

"Burgers are ready!" Zeke called to the group drying off around the pool.

The group laughed as they walked together over to the grill and the three girls smiled as they let the guys go before them. They were watching the guys interact with each other from under an umbrella by a round glass table.

"So, today wasn't that bad." Sharpay said with a smile as she watched Zeke.

"That's because you probably made out with Zeke in the kitchen the entire time." Taylor joked.

"Is my lip gloss smeared?!" Sharpay asked quickly.

Taylor and Gabriella exchanged a look and both started laughing loudly.

"I was joking, but apparently that's what you were doing!" Taylor teased Sharpay with a smile.

"Shut up." Sharpay groaned in embarrassment as a few of the guys glanced their way.

"Well, Gabriella was getting her flirt on too." Taylor told Sharpay.

Gabriella gasped loudly and her eyes widened.

"I was not!" She protested.

"Were too." Taylor shot back as she skipped over to the grill.

"So, Gabi..." Sharpay started as she nudged her friend playfully.

"I was not flirting!" Gabriella whisper yelled as she scouted along towards the grill.

Sharpay smirked as Gabriella left her side and as Zeke filled the empty space. He pulled her close to him and smiled as he looked into her eyes.

"She was totally flirting with him." Sharpay told Zeke, who heard most of the conversation.

"And he was flirting back." Zeke said to her with a smile.

They nodded together, looking across the pool at the group of friends. The lights around the pool suddenly went on as the sky reached a certain darkness and Zeke kissed Sharpay softly, laughing as the basketball team hooted and hollered from their spots.

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**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	6. Maybe Perfect

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! I love you all! Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter six

Maybe Perfect

Gabriella laughed as she opened her inbox the next morning, yawning quickly as she opened her email from Troy. She smiled at the screen, reading over the letter, happy to start her day like this.

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: The Deep End

To: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)

Hey, Gabriella! So, Chad is now texting me about Taylor and Zeke is calling me about Sharpay and I'm emailing my favorite girl. I'm just so popular. Yeah, that's what I assumed, you don't buy it. Go ahead, Miss Montez, laugh all you want.

Is Taylor okay now, or is she still freaked about the incident at Sharpay's pool when she fell in? Chad was worried about her all night. He called me twice… I shut my phone off after the second call. :) I know Chad makes stupid comments to her, but I think he honestly likes her. Something tells me that his comments are all some kind of act, but I guess we'll never know, because Chad's a goofball. No denying it.

So, Gabriella, have you killed Charlie yet? When I saw you last, you were chasing Charlie down the street for painting your car with washable paint. Has that come off yet? Or has it been baked on there because of the Albuquerque summer heat?

Can you ask Charlie if practice is going to be cancelled because they're waxing the gym floors? I'm too lazy to call. Okay, fine! Stop rolling your eyes at me, I'll ask myself, gosh Gabriella. I'm sure we'll just have to practice outside. Wonderful.

So, what's new with you? Besides that you hate Charlie and Taylor hates Chad? I know I saw you yesterday, but you never know I could have missed A LOT. What'cha dream about? Am I being nosy? Well, I'll probably see you soon and talk to you sooner.

Your Friend,

Troy Bolton

P.S. No need to be afraid of the deep end now, is there?

Gabriella smiled and reread the last paragraph. What did she dream about? Boy, if only she could tell Troy that, but oddly, she dreamed of him; and something about the deep end and falling fast into it. She assumed it had some symbolism, but, whatever, it was just a dream. Yeah, just a dream.

To: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Re: The Deep End

From: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Troy! Isn't it weird how long our emails are and we see each other only hours before we send them? It amuses me. You're so right, Mr. Bolton, I was laughing at you, I'm still laughing now. Ha. Ha.

Taylor's okay. She has decided to boycott pools for life, but once she needs a tan she'll be right next to Sharpay and I, floating along like always. Chad. What are we going to do with him? Taylor just doesn't like him, Troy. The comments just get to her. Sometimes she takes them in the wrong way. Like for example, the other day, Chad commented her butt, something about her short shorts, I don't know, and for the rest of the day she asked me if those pants made her butt look big. I know, now you're laughing, but it's a girl thing. Comments have to be made carefully. Girls can have mood swings at ANY time.

Actually right as we speak, Charlie is washing my car. I got the parental units in to enforce some discipline (I cried until they made him). So, I'm happy for now, but watch, I'll walk out into the hallway and be covered in honey or something disgustingly sticky. I swear I could just…

Yeah, I can almost promise you that practice is not cancelled. If it was, there would already be plans for a huge party being made as we speak, but I haven't heard anything about a party.

New? Nope. Nothing new here. To answer your question, yes, you are being nosy. I dreamed. Of things you can't know about. Keep pouting, Bolton, but I can't see you, there's no falling for the puppy dog pout. I guarantee I'll see you within the next day, so I'll end this email here.

Your Friend,

Gabriella Montez

P.S. Deep End? I have no problem with it. ;)

Gabriella clicked send after rereading her email and she made her way down the stairs, humming a song. She walked into the empty kitchen, pulling out her usual cereal and pouring it into a bowl. She leaned against the counter and ate her cereal, taking in the moment of peace and quiet that she was currently in. She rolled her eyes soon later though when Charlie came in, chucking a wet, soapy rag at her.

"I'm done washing your car, dork." He said in annoyance, sitting down at the island in the middle of the kitchen.

Gabriella smiled and put some more cereal in her mouth, nodding.

"It's about time you did something for me." She said as she set her empty bowl in the sink.

"Please! I only did it because you cried." He told her with an eye roll.

"Thanks to Sharpay, I've learned the art to fake tears." Gabriella smirked, flicking Charlie in the back of his head before she ran to her room, knowing he was probably already chasing after her.

_____

Gabriella grunted as she smacked her tennis racket forward, sending the fuzzy yellow tennis ball over the small net towards Sharpay. They were in Sharpay's indoor tennis court, getting in some girl time before the guys came home from practice, bound to ruin their time together even if Gabriella was at Sharpay's house. They always found a way to ruin their fun.

"So…" Sharpay started as she whacked the tennis ball back over to Gabriella who shuffled over to it and sent it back. "How's Troy?"

"He's good." Gabriella responded as she breathed deeply. "He's getting all of the phone calls from Zeke and Chad about their love life." She laughed.

"Really?" Sharpay asked as she shuffled to the side. "Has Zeke called him?"

"Yup. To talk about you of course." Gabriella smiled.

"He's such a good guy." Sharpay said with a nod.

"Zeke? Yeah, he's very respectable." Gabriella agreed.

"I agree with you, but I was talking about Troy." Sharpay replied as sent the tennis ball flying over to Gabriella.

"Oh… yeah, he is." Gabriella answered.

"He's a good height for you too. And your skin tones match perf--" Sharpay stopped when Gabriella caught the tennis ball in her right hand and painfully shook her stinging hand.

"Shar, what are you talking about?" Gabriella asked as she massaged her right hand to get rid of the pain.

"You and Troy. You'd look good together." Sharpay told Gabriella from her spot on the other side of the net.

"We're best friends, Shar." Gabriella told her as she tucked her racket under her left arm.

"So." Sharpay shrugged. "It's like he was genetically made for you and fate brought you together."

"Sorry, Shar, but he's my best friend and only my best friend." Gabriella said as she served the tennis ball back to Sharpay.

"Okay, well, I'm just saying, that if you're ever looking for a guy, don't look too far, because the perfect guy is right in front of you." Sharpay explained with a shrug.

"I'm not looking for a guy. I see enough of the opposite sex on a daily basis!" Gabriella replied as she whacked the ball forcefully and sighed.

Sharpay sighed too as she looked at her good friend. She had a feeling that something was going to happen between Troy and Gabriella and she hoped that she was right. They both deserved something good after uniting her and Zeke, and Sharpay hoped that they would get each other in return.

Gabriella looked over at Sharpay after a few minutes of no talking; only the sound of their sneakers on the gym floor and the bouncing of the tennis ball. She could tell Sharpay was thinking, of what, she could probably guess, but she shrugged it off and continued to play.

"Sorry if I made you mad." Gabriella said, unable to take the silence any longer.

"Oh gosh, no, you didn't." Sharpay said with a nod. "I just want you to be happy, is all."

Gabriella stopped shuffling along the court and looked at her friend sincerely. She twisted the racket in her hand and smiled softly.

"I am happy, Sharpay. I've never been happier." Gabriella told her concerned friend. "I don't need Troy to be my boyfriend to be happy. I just need him and my friends in my life and right now, that's what I have." She smiled.

"Okay." Sharpay nodded with a smile. "Ready to quit?" She asked as she wiped some sweat off of her forehead.

"Yeah." Gabriella smiled as she waited for Sharpay to walk around to her side of the net.

They linked their arms together and laughed as they walked off of the court, into the hallway, heading towards the large kitchen in the center of the house. Gabriella slid into one of Sharpay's kitchen barstools and fanned her hot face with her hand as Sharpay pulled out two water bottles, handing one over to Gabriella.

"Is Zeke coming over tonight?" Gabriella asked Sharpay once she had sat down next to her.

"Yeah, how do you know?" Sharpay asked suspiciously, but she nodded as Gabriella swallowed a gulp of water. "Why did I even ask? Troy?"

"Yeah, he told me that Zeke was probably going to call you today, so I assumed." Gabriella answered.

"Do you two still email everyday even though you see each other everyday?" Sharpay asked as she twisted the cap to her water bottle back on.

"Pretty much; unless we forget to check our email, which never happens." Gabriella told her.

Sharpay nodded without a response and Gabriella stood up with a smirk.

"I'm going to get going. I know what you're thinking." Gabriella pointed at her suspiciously.

"I'm not—" Sharpay started.

"Nope, don't want to hear it! Get ready for your date with Zeke!" Gabriella said as she scurried out of the kitchen.

Sharpay laughed as her best friend left and she soon left the kitchen too to get ready for later that day with a smile on her face.

Gabriella opened her car door and pulled out of the long driveway of the Evans' residence. She pulled her sunglasses over her eyes and headed home, glancing at the clock, smiling when she saw that basketball practice would still be going on for a few more hours, leaving her some time alone.

She was driving down the main road towards her neighborhood when she saw a large group of guys jogging down the road; the backs of their shirts drenched in sweat as the hot sun beat down on them. She smiled when she got closer to them, realizing that they were they basketball team. She honked her horn and their heads turned immediately, glancing at her. She waved with a smirk on her face and slowed down, knowing no one was behind her.

"This air conditioning sure feels good!" She said, glaring at Charlie, who had easily caught her that morning after she flicked him in the head.

"Shut up, Gabriella!" Charlie said as he jogged next to her car, hitting the top of the roof.

Gabriella laughed, noticing their shriveling forms. She wondered how long they'd been jogging for, seeing their empty water bottles. Troy was up at front, trying to keep jogging and Chad was directly behind him.

"Hey, Troy!" Gabriella shouted from her car as she road along side of them still.

He turned his head to look at her and he smiled with a small wave. She grabbed her barely-drank-out-of water bottle and showed it to him from her window.

"Catch!" She said as she tossed it out of her car, watching as it floated over to him, where he caught it with ease.

"Thanks!" He called back as the team groaned, wishing they had that extra water bottle.

"No problem! See you boys later. Don't work yourselves too hard." She teased them as she honked a few more times and speed away.

Gabriella smirked as she watched the team in her read view mirror. She smiled when she saw Troy drink out of her water bottle and hand it over to Chad, who handed it over to Charlie; sharing what he had with his thirsty team. Maybe Sharpay was right. Maybe he was perfect.

* * *

**Squeal! Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	7. Mom and Dad

**Hey everyone! Thank you once again for all of the reviews! You put a smile on my face everyday! I won't be updating again this weekend (or at least I don't think I will be) because I have a 9 hour choir concert on Saturday... But in the mean time I hope to hear from you all again! Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter seven

Mom and Dad

Gabriella yawned loudly as she came down the stairs a few days later and she walked into the kitchen, noticing the note taped to the microwave. She sighed, knowing what it was, not even bothering to read it. She pulled her usual cereal out of the pantry and poured it into a white breakfast bowl. She then poured milk into it and leaned against the kitchen counter, looking at the microwave.

"They left this morning." Gabriella heard Charlie say from behind her.

She turned to face him and he was tying his basketball shoelaces, leaning against the kitchen chair. She nodded as she took a bit of her cereal.

"No one thought of waking me up to say goodbye?" Gabriella asked her brother in annoyance.

"It's just another business trip. The goodbyes go the same way every time." Charlie told her.

"How long are they gone this time?" Gabriella asked her brother, taking another bit of her cereal.

"Two weeks." Charlie stated. "They got the call this morning."

"And we're told by notes." Gabriella sighed as she shook her head.

She left her bowl on the counter as she ripped the note off of the microwave and tossed it in the kitchen desk drawer where all of the other notes about last minute business trips were stashed. Charlie was headed for the front door and Gabriella walked towards him.

"Do you have everything?" She asked him as he opened the front door with his basketball bag slung over his right shoulder.

"Yes, Mom." He sighed.

Gabriella smirked as the door shut behind him and she crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him pull out of the driveway. She headed up the stairs and into her room, passing her parents empty, clean bedroom. She sat down in her computer chair and clicked on her new email from Troy.

To: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Tonight

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Ice Cream tonight? My house?

Gabriella smiled at the quick email sent to her before he went to basketball practice and she clicked the reply button and answered with the obvious answer.

To: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Re: Tonight

From: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Of course.

Gabriella stood up from her chair and grabbed a bath towel that was hanging on the back of her door and went to her bathroom. She sighed and closed the door, a lonely feeling suddenly taking over her body.

The afternoon sun sprinkled down on Gabriella as she walked over to Troy's house. She figured it would be a waste of gas _and _a beautiful afternoon if she drove there, so now she was walking, taking in the surroundings around her. Gabriella smiled when she walked up to Troy's house and he was waiting for her on his porch. She cut across his front yard and stopped as he stood to greet her.

"How are you?" He asked with a smile as he gave her a friendly hug.

"I'm okay." She smiled quickly.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked, sensing that something was up with her, but letting it go for now.

"Go? I thought we were having ice cream here?" Gabriella asked as they walked down the front walk way.

"Yeah, well, I like to change plans last minute." Troy smirked as Gabriella laughed quietly. "How about we walk to the park and get ice cream there. We can walk around."

"Sounds good." Gabriella told him as they headed towards the park.

Troy and Gabriella said their "thank yous" to the man at the ice cream cart in the park as he handed them their cones and turned as they started to walk down the sidewalk, around the park.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in a while." Troy said as he licked a drip of ice cream that was sliding down his cone.

"Hmm… the last time we saw each other was when you were running on the side of the road… so yeah, we haven't seen each other for a while." Gabriella agreed with him as she licked her cold strawberry ice cream.

"Thanks for the water by the way." Troy laughed.

"You seemed to need it more than I did." Gabriella told him with a nod.

"What were you doing out and about at ten thirty, anyways?" Troy asked her.

"I was at Sharpay's playing tennis. We were having some girl time." Gabriella explained as she bit into her cone.

"Ah, girl time, I understand." Troy nodded as he bit into his ice cream.

"Troy! Ew, don't bit your ice cream." Gabriella said as she shivered from the thought of biting into a cold scoop of ice cream.

"Why not?" Troy asked. "It tastes better that way."

Gabriella wiggled as she walked like she had ants in her pants, grossed out by Troy's ice cream eating ways. She laughed as Troy bit into it again, dragging it out and making sure she saw it.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Gabriella asked him as she shook her head.

"Nope. My teeth are amazing." Troy said with a laugh as he showed off his not so sensitive teeth.

"And covered in chocolate." Gabriella giggled as she pointed to his teeth, finishing her cone.

"Really? Where?" Troy asked, unembarrassed.

"Right there." Gabriella said as she pointed to his front tooth, stepping closer to him.

"Is it gone?" Troy asked as he ran his tongue over his teeth.

"Nope." Gabriella laughed as she pointed to it again.

"Now?"

"Nope."

"How about now?"

"Gosh, Troy! How long is this going to take?" Gabriella asked with a laugh. "It's right there."

"Well, I can't exactly see myself, Miss Perfectionist." Troy teased her as he licked his teeth again.

"Let me do it! This will take all night!" Gabriella groaned in frustration as she raised herself up on her tiptoes, leaning against him.

Troy smiled so that she could see his teeth and she laughed as she rubbed his front tooth and removed the chocolate.

"You're a dork." She said with a laugh as she stepped away from him, watching as he tossed his cone to a seagull.

"I'm the dork? You're the one scrapping chocolate out of my teeth." Troy said with a laugh.

"That sounds really gross when you put it that way." Gabriella said as she scrunched her nose up like she smelt something bad.

"That's because it is." Troy said with a laugh.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and shoved Troy playfully as they continued to walk along the sidewalk, watching as the sky started to become dark with the passing time. After about an hour of walking and talking it was soon night time, but they weren't ready to go home just yet. They were still in the middle of an intense conversation about basketball and even though Gabriella would say she never wanted to talk about basketball again since she heard so much about it from Charlie; she loved talking about it with Troy.

They laughed as they sat down on a bench that faced a large pond and they talked as the moon cast a silver shimmer onto the water. Gabriella's arm brushed up against Troy's as they got in the conversation of family and she was suddenly much less talkative then she had been earlier, and Troy noticed right away.

"What's up?" Troy asked her, eyeing her from his spot on the bench.

"My mom and dad left for another business trip this morning." She said as she rolled her eyes, looking away from Troy.

"I should have guessed." Troy said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Gabriella asked as she looked at him with a confused look on her face.

"You're never in a good mood when your parents leave." Troy explained to her.

"They're not regular parents." Gabriella started as she heard Troy's comment. "They're never home anymore. They don't care that Charlie and I fight and they don't have time for family things as simple as home cooked meals everyday."

"If it helps, my mom ordered Chinese yesterday." Troy said with a small smile.

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh at his effort to make her feel better and he looked over at her with a smile.

"I don't know, Troy, sometimes I just feel like I want a parent that will ground me for staying out past my curfew or for chucking something breakable at Charlie." Gabriella told him.

"Your parents love you, Gabriella. Sometimes people just don't know how to show it. They might want to have a good relationship with you, so they don't want to ground you." Troy said.

"But what bugs me is that they're not here to do any of that. I want to be able to talk to my mom like Taylor talks to her mom or like Sharpay talks to hers." Gabriella told him.

Troy sighed as he brought his arm around her, pulling her closer to him.

"Well, I'm no mom, but if you need to talk, I'll be here." Troy told her with a smile.

"Thanks, Troy." Gabriella said as she hugged him, setting her head on his shoulder.

"What are best friends for?" He asked quietly.

Gabriella smiled and breathed in his now familiar scent and snuggled closer to him. She sighed as he rubbed the side of her arm softly and looked out at the pond in front of them. A soft breeze blew against them and an occasional late night walker would pass them with a nice smile.

"Should we get you home before Charlie sends out a search party?" Troy asked her with a small chuckle as he looked down at her.

"I guess." Gabriella sighed as she sat up. "We should have drove here and then walked around. We have to walk all the way back home now." She said as she skipped over to the sidewalk.

"You don't seem too down about it." Troy noticed with a laugh.

"That's because I'm walking with you." Gabriella told him as she linked her arm with his and made her way down the sidewalk.

Troy smiled at her and laughed as they made their way towards Gabriella's house. Somewhere along the way, though, Troy ended up giving Gabriella a piggyback ride and she was laughing quietly as he bounced her up and down as he skipped.

"You're going to drop me." Gabriella giggled as she held her arms around his neck securely.

"I'd never drop you, Gabriella Montez." He laughed as he stopped skipping, walking along the few houses before Gabriella's.

Gabriella laughed, sending a chill down Troy's neck as her breath hit his neck and she smiled as he walked up her driveway, setting her down carefully on her porch step. He turned to face her once she was standing and he smiled at her softly.

"Thanks for the ice cream and the talk." Gabriella said to him with a smile.

"Anytime you need me, just send an email." He laughed.

"I will. Goodnight, Troy Bolton." She said as she hugged him from her spot on the step, leaning down so she could reach him.

"Night, Gabriella Montez." Troy said as he hugged her back, smiling as she walked into her house, shutting the door behind her.

Gabriella smiled to herself as she waved to Troy from inside and she turned around, stopping suddenly when she saw Charlie standing in the kitchen doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Where have you been?" He asked as Gabriella made a move for the stairs.

"With Troy." Gabriella told him as he followed her up the stairs.

"And what were you doing with him at this time of day?" Charlie asked her specifically.

"Talking." Gabriella stated.

"Talking?" Charlie questioned as he eyed her suspiciously.

Gabriella turned to face him once she was at her bedroom door and sighed as she placed a hand on her hip.

"I didn't ruin his basketball skills." Gabriella reassured him.

"Wonderful." Charlie nodded in satisfaction. "Goodnight, Gabriella."

"Night, _Dad_." Gabriella rolled her eyes as she walked into her room, closing her door behind her.

Gabriella walked over to her balcony doors and opened them, stepping out into the darkness of the night. She leaned over her railing slightly and peered down the street, laughing when she saw Troy turning the corner of her street, waving to her when he looked over to see her on her balcony.

* * *

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**unknownbyhim22**


	8. A Day All Together

**SNOW DAY!! YAY! Hey everyone! I'm beyond excited right now because my Christmas break has started a day earlier than planned! There's like a foot of snow outside right now! Well, this chapter is kind of like a filler and I'm not really liking it, but Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter eight

A Day All Together

Gabriella, Taylor, and Sharpay were all standing at the front of Misty's Grand Putting Place, waiting for Troy, Chad, Zeke, and Charlie to get their golf balls and golf clubs, which they had insisted on getting for them, minus Charlie. Taylor sighed and squinted as the sun blinded her, making her immediately pull her large sunglasses over her brown eyes. Gabriella smirked and looked over at her, nudging her softly with her elbow.

"Cheer up, Tay." Gabriella smiled.

"I can't believe Charlie insisted on bringing Chad." Taylor said with a shake of her head. "Now there are three girls and four guys. It makes everything uneven!"

"I'm sure Chad will be fine today." Sharpay said with a small laugh.

"Please! Like he'll suddenly change now." Taylor said with an eye roll.

Gabriella and Sharpay exchanged a look and smiled as the guys appeared with their stuff. Sharpay, of course, got the pink golf ball and putter, while Troy got Gabriella green and Taylor got purple. Gabriella smiled at Taylor, knowing that purple was her favorite color and that it probably wasn't a coincident that Chad picked that out for her.

"Alright, if I estimated correctly, this can take forty five minutes." Taylor said as she started to walk over to the first hole.

"What's the rush?" Gabriella teased her with a smile.

"Like you have to ask?" Taylor sighed, setting her ball down, not caring if there was a certain order they were planning on going, and lined the ball up with the first hole, sending it rolling down the small green area and into the hole when she hit it softly.

"Taylor is on fire everyone, watch out!" Chad hooted making the group laugh together, getting a loud, annoyed sigh from Taylor.

"Okay, who's next?" Gabriella asked as she looked at the group.

"How about girls go first, and then we'll figure it out from there?" Zeke asked with a shrug.

"Sounds good." Sharpay said with a squeal, setting her pink golf ball down and concentrating intently on the hole a few feet away from her.

Once she was ready, she swung lightly at the ball and it fell into the hole with a hollow thud. They guys exchanged a look as they watched Gabriella too get a hole in one.

"Are they like pro put-put golfers?" Chad asked in astonishment.

"They come here all of the time. They have this place practically memorized." Troy explained with a nod.

"Dude, I didn't even know that and Gabriella is my sister." Charlie said as he shook his head, setting his golf ball down. "You're whipped."

Troy opened his mouth to respond, but before he could Charlie grunted with the impact of Gabriella's hand on the back of his head.

"The only thing that's whipped is your ass when we're finished here today, brother." Gabriella said as she gestured towards Taylor and Sharpay as the guys laughed loudly.

"Yeah right! I could beat you at stupid put-put golf." Charlie said with a nod.

"No way!" Gabriella said as she glared at her brother.

"If I win you have to keep your friends away from mine when we're at the house and you can't bug me until mom and dad gets back." Charlie said as he glared back at his sister.

"Thank God." Taylor mumbled.

"Dude, are you sure that's such a good idea?" Chad asked with an unsure look on his face.

"Yeah, I don't know if I like that bet." Zeke said with a shake of his head.

"Deal." Gabriella said as she shook her brother's hand, squeezing it tightly as she looked at him with a competitive sparkle in her eyes. "And if I win, you have to do all of the laundry and the dishes until mom and dad get back from the business trip."

"Done." Charlie said as he let go of Gabriella's hand, finally swinging at the golf ball. It rolled right into the hole and he smirked as Gabriella gasped. "We have good genes. You didn't think you were the only amazing put-put golfer, did you?"

"I hate you." Gabriella mumbled as she walked back over to Taylor and Sharpay.

"The feeling is mutual!" Charlie shot back with a glare.

While Taylor had predicted forty five minutes for this innocent game of put-put golf, it was lasting a lot longer than she wanted it to. Gabriella and Charlie were at constant battle and they insisted a few times that the other one was cheating and had to redo a few turns. And Chad, well, Chad had no golfing skills at all. He was terrible, taking ten to fifteen swings at the ball before it fell into the hole, making everything much longer.

"Don't mess up." Charlie said loudly as Gabriella got ready for the last hole.

"I won't." Gabriella said quickly as she carefully swung at the ball, sending it down a small hill, throw a tunnel, and over another hill.

"I think she has it, man." Zeke said as he watched the ball float down the course.

"Yup, she has it." Chad said with a nod.

"Thanks for the support, guys." Charlie said with an eye roll as he watched the ball fall into the whole.

Gabriella smirked and her friends clapped excitedly as she walked over to them, watching Charlie. Troy and Gabriella exchanged a look as Charlie hit the ball, sending it towards the hole.

"I win!!" Gabriella squealed as the ball missed the hole, making Charlie have to hit it for the second time to get into the hole. "I can't wait to see you doing laundry!" She laughed.

The guys laughed with her, knowing that Gabriella was going to win from the very beginning. Charlie glared at her and an evil smile spread on his face as he walked towards her.

"What are you doing?!" Gabriella asked as she saw her brother's mischievous look on his face.

She followed his gaze to the bridge a few feet away from her and the large pool of water under it and her eyes widened.

"Don't you dare!" She said angrily as she backed up slowly.

"Dude, Charlie, don't throw her in. She won fair and square." Chad said with a nod as he watched his friend walk closer to his sister.

He saw Taylor smirk slightly, but quickly hide it when she realized she did it and Charlie laughed quietly with a shake of his head.

"Don't!" Gabriella said as she shoved her brother away from her.

Charlie grabbed Gabriella securely around the waist and walked over to the bridge. Gabriella kicked and screamed as her friends tried to pull her away from her brother.

"Charlie, let go of her!" Sharpay demanded as she grabbed Gabriella's outstretched hand and held it tightly.

"Help me!" Gabriella screeched to Taylor and Sharpay.

"Dude, she doesn't want to go in." Troy said as he, Chad, and Zeke watched from next to Taylor and Sharpay.

"And I don't want to do laundry!" He said as he lifted Gabriella up in his arms and tossed her into the pool, watching as her hand let go of Sharpay's in order to keep from pulling her in too.

"CHARLIE!" Gabriella screamed as many of the put-put golfers stopped their game to look at her.

She was soaking wet and her clothes were heavy and pulling her down into the shallow water. She watched as Taylor and Sharpay exchanged a look and she couldn't help but smile when she realized that they wouldn't let him get away with pushing her in.

"One!" Sharpay screeched.

"Two!" Taylor hooted.

"Three!" Gabriella smiled.

Taylor and Sharpay grabbed Charlie and shoved him towards the water, but as he tumbled forward, he grabbed Sharpay and they both went into the water, causing Zeke to go in after Sharpay. They were all laughing hysterically and Troy and Chad jumped in with the group.

"I still won!" Gabriella laughed as she shoved Charlie under the water.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" They heard as they all laughed.

The group in the water slowly looked up at the bridge where Taylor was still standing and a very angry manager was looking down at them, fuming with obvious anger.

"Uh-oh." Chad said as everyone's eyes widened.

_______

The group walked into the Montez house, laughing in their almost-dry clothes. They had gotten kicked out of the Putting Place and couldn't come back until next year, where they would have to pay full price even on half off days. It had all been worth it in the end, knowing that they had a good laugh and would remember this moment for a long time. They were now in the kitchen, talking about the long speech the manager had given them about safety and the expense of the pools and bridges around the place.

"Do you guys want to stay over for dinner?" Gabriella asked the group from her spot at the island bar stool.

"What are we having?" Charlie asked as he leaned back in his chair at the kitchen table.

"Lasagna." Gabriella answered.

"Definitely." Chad said.

"Sounds good to me." Troy said with a nod.

"I love lasagna." Zeke said with a smile.

"You all have to help though." Sharpay said as she started getting the ingredients out of the pantry.

"Sweet." Zeke said with a smile as he stood up from his chair at the kitchen table and walked over to the stove where Taylor was get the pots and pans ready.

"Charlie, you can set the table." Gabriella said as she dumped a box of lasagna noodles into a boiling pot of water.

Charlie sighed, but did what he was told and after a half hour of getting the noodles boiled and the meat with tomato sauce cooked, they were halfway done with dinner. Sharpay, Zeke, and Charlie were sitting at the kitchen table, talking while, Troy and Gabriella got the salad ready and Chad and Taylor put the lasagna together. Troy nudged Gabriella as he listened to Chad and Taylor next to him and Gabriella giggled quietly as she glanced at them.

"Chad, gosh, it's not that hard to remember." Taylor said. "It goes Lasagna noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese, lasagna noodles, meat sauce, and parmesan cheese." Taylor said with a sigh.

"How is that not hard to remember?" Chad asked as he set two lasagna noodles down on the bottom of the pan.

"You know, Chad, just put the darn cheese on it." Taylor said after she put the sauce over the noodles.

"Fine." Chad mumbled as he tossed some cheese on the sauce, missing the corners and sides.

"You have to get the corners." Taylor said as she tried to be patient with him.

"'Kay." He said as he concentrated on getting the cheese just right. "Wait, I think I missed a spot." He said as Taylor was about to put another layer of noodles on it.

"It's fine." Taylor told him.

"No, it really isn't." He said as he flicked cheese right at her, smiling.

"What was that for?!" Taylor asked.

"I told you. I missed a spot." Chad smiled.

Taylor grabbed some cheese and threw it right at his face and he threw some back at her. Troy smiled and tossed a handful of lettuce at Gabriella, smiling as she gasped.

"Troy!" She said with a laugh as she pulled some lettuce off of her shirt and threw it back at him.

He laughed as he caught it and smiled, pulling a piece of lettuce out of her hair and tossing it into the sink behind him.

"Sorry, I had to join in on the fun." He smiled as he looked over at Chad and Taylor, who were now getting pretty intense with the cheese throwing.

"Chad!" Taylor screeched angrily.

"Taylor!" He said back as she threw some more cheese at him. He grabbed some of the sauce and Taylor's eyes widened.

"Not the sauce!" Taylor said as she ran from the kitchen with Chad following close behind.

The group in the kitchen laughed as they heard the two running around the house and within a few minutes and a shout from a surrendering Taylor, they both appeared back into the kitchen, only this time, Taylor was thrown over Chad's shoulder and he was smiling brightly.

"Chad, let go of me." Taylor said as she dangled from his shoulder, hearing her friends laughing from around the kitchen.

"You know, I've never really been this close to you. It's nice." Chad said as he walked back over to the lasagna with Taylor still over his shoulder.

"You're a perv." Taylor groaned as she tried to look up, but swung back down, facing Chad's stomach.

"Are you really going to keep Taylor up there?" Gabriella laughed as she put the lasagna into the oven.

"For as long as I can." Chad smiled as he patted her on the thigh, where his hand was secured so she wouldn't fall forward.

"Chad!" Taylor said as she whacked him in the leg.

"Ow!" He groaned as he bent forward, holding his leg.

Taylor took that chance to wiggle out of his grasp and jumped off of him, shoving him away from her.

"Looks like your time is up." Troy said with a laugh.

"You annoy me." Taylor said to him.

Chad smiled and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist, and leaning towards her ear with a smile. Gabriella raised her right eyebrow and exchanged a look with Troy as they watched them.

"You know you want me." He whispered to her, getting shoved harshly by Taylor as his breath brushed against her neck.

"Yeah right." She said angrily.

After waiting for the lasagna to cook, the group sat around the Montez's kitchen table and ate their dinner as if they did it on a regular basis, talking and laughing as they told stories to each other. With the darkening of the sky and the laughter of the friends, the day slowly came to an end with Troy leaving last, waving to Gabriella when he got to the end of the street when he looked back to see her on her balcony.

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**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	9. Payback is Routine

**Hey Everyone! Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! So most of you have been saying that you want there to be a relationship between Troy and Gabriella right now... a.s.a.p! But relationships take time, people. :) So as my best friend's crush has said before "Be Patient." Thanks guys! Enjoy! **

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter nine

Payback is Routine

The smell of baking cookies floated in the air at the Montez's house. Zeke was probably in the kitchen, inventing something new. The girls were in Gabriella's room, hanging out like usual and Sharpay was currently in Gabriella's closet, looking quit confused as she looked at Gabriella's clothes.

"Not that I have anything against the color, but why are most of your clothes now pink?" Sharpay asked as she came back out with the shirt she was looking for.

"Charlie doesn't know how to do laundry and dyed all of my clothes pink." Gabriella said with a loud sigh from her computer chair where she was finishing her email to Troy, even though he was downstairs with the rest of the team.

"I have an idea." Sharpay smirked as a mischievous grin appeared on her face.

"Okay… what is it?" Taylor smiled.

Gabriella, Taylor, and Sharpay walked into the family room where Charlie sat with his basketball team. They had decided on watching a movie and were going to search for a DVD among the many in the Montez's DVD cabinet. Gabriella had a smirk on her face as Taylor cleared her throat, sitting on the ground near the DVD case. Sharpay was intently scanning over the musicals on the top shelve and she smiled as she coxed her hip.

"Do you think I should get a belly button ring?" Sharpay asked as she read over a few of the backs on the DVDs.

"Why, do you want one?" Taylor asked as she debated between Legally Blonde 1 and 2.

"I think it would go well with my tan." Sharpay explained.

The guys who were just looking at the basketball game on the screen now had their attention on the girls' conversation.

"My mom said she'd take us all if it was okay with your parents." Sharpay said as she finally chose the movie she wanted to watch.

"Yeah! I'm totally getting my belly button pierced!" Gabriella said in excitement.

Troy furrowed his brow as Charlie sat up from the couch with an angry expression on his face. Troy glanced from Charlie to Gabriella quickly, wondering why Gabriella had suddenly wanted a belly button ring; he knew she wasn't a fan of them.

"I was thinking about getting a tattoo!" Taylor admitted as she grabbed her DVD.

Chad suddenly spit out the sprit in his mouth and started to choke.

"You're not getting any piercings!" Charlie exclaimed towards Gabriella.

"Yeah! Tattoos are disgusting, Taylor!" Chad protested.

Gabriella rolled her eyes as the girls walked towards the exit. Charlie and Chad were still standing angrily as the girls sucked in their laughter.

"Too bad, Charlie. I already got mine done." Gabriella said as she quickly lifted her shirt up past her belly button.

The guys gasped as they saw the sparkle on Gabriella's stomach and the girls bolted for Gabriella's room.

"Gabriella!" Charlie shouted as he ran after them.

The girls slammed the door shut, standing against it as Charlie pounded on the wooden door.

"When I get near you, Gabriella, I'm ripping that thing out!" Charlie yelled.

The girls sank to the ground as they started to laugh uncontrollably when Charlie left.

"That was amazing!" Taylor laughed.

"Charlie's never going to be able to sleep!" Gabriella laughed as she peeled the diamond sticker off of her stomach.

"I knew they would flip when they saw that!" Sharpay laughed.

"Why do you even have fake belly button stickers?" Taylor asked Sharpay.

"To mess with Ryan." Sharpay laughed as she wiped away the tears falling from her eyes with the intense laughter.

"Well, that's what Charlie gets for turning all of my whites pink by putting his red hoodie in the washer!" Gabriella laughed as she looked down at her pink shirt.

Charlie breathed deeply as he walked back into the family room after nearly knocking Gabriella's door down.

"Dude, your sister has amazing abs!" One of his teammates said to him.

Troy rolled his eyes and Charlie chucked a near by DVD case at the observant teammate.

"Shut up." He growled.

The girls were lying on Gabriella's bedroom floor with their sleeping bags arranged in a triangle so that they could see each other. The lamp on Gabriella's nightstand cast an orange glow on the room and the crickets could be heard from the open balcony doors. They were laughing as they heard a knock on the door and then Troy appeared with a plate of Zeke's cookies in his hand.

"Hey, Troy!" Sharpay said excitedly once she saw him.

"Hey, girls. Zeke sent these up." He smiled as he bent down to set the cookies in the center of the girl's triangle.

"What a sweetheart." Sharpay said as she grabbed a cookie and took a quick bite.

"These are amazing." Taylor mumbled through her full mouth.

"I'm pretty sure those are the Taylor cookies." Troy said with a nod.

The girls gasped together and smiled.

"Really?!" Taylor exclaimed.

"My Sharpay cookie was great!" Sharpay told her friends. "Zeke knew exactly what to put in it." She explained.

"Yeah, I think Chad was helping Zeke with these." Troy explained with a smirk.

Gabriella and Sharpay exchanged a look and giggled quietly as Taylor looked up at Troy, setting her cookie down.

"They tasted so great before you said that." Taylor told him with an eye roll.

Troy laughed quietly and headed for the door, turning to look at the group before he opened the door.

"Do you want me to lock the door behind me? I think Charlie is planning a way of getting that belly button ring out as we speak." Troy explained, watching as Gabriella stood up with a laugh.

"No belly button ring." Gabriella told him as she lifted her shirt up past her belly button to show him. "It was a sticker." She explained.

"I had a feeling." Troy smiled as he opened the door with Gabriella following him, leaning against the door frame to talk to him as he stood in the hallway.

Gabriella glanced behind her at Sharpay and Taylor and smirked as they both looked away like they were pretending not to look at them. The clock on her nightstand read eleven thirty and she looked back at Troy with a smile.

"Are you going soon?" She asked him.

"Yeah, right now, actually. I just wanted to say goodnight." He told her.

"Well, goodnight." She said in a soft voice.

"Night, Gabriella." He smiled.

"I'll email you." She told him with a smirk.

"Good." He chuckled as he headed for the stairs, smiling as he felt Gabriella watching him leave.

Gabriella stepped out of the doorway and shut the door behind her, shuffling over to the balcony and after a few minutes, Sharpay and Taylor watched her wave and step back into her room.

"So, Gabi…" Sharpay started in a sing song voice. "How are you and Troy?" She asked.

"Troy's fine, I'm fine, why?" Gabriella asked as she sat down on her sleeping bag and grabbed a cookie.

"You seem pretty cozy together." Taylor pointed out with a smirk.

"Cozy? We were just talking." Gabriella told her friends.

"I'll email you." Sharpay mocked Gabriella. "A wave from the balcony?"

"It's what's we do… it's like a routine." Gabriella explained.

"You have a routine?" Taylor said with a squeal.

"You two take things way out of proportion." Gabriella replied.

"It's what _we_ do." Sharpay shrugged.

"So," Gabriella started, ready to change the subject. "How's everything with you guys?" She asked.

"Good." Sharpay said, not wanting to change the subject.

"Parents suck." Taylor told them. "They fight all of the time. It's annoying."

"I know the feeling." Gabriella said as she looked at her two best friends, hinting that they were annoying ninety five percent of the time now that Troy was in the picture.

"You're lucky that your parents are always gone. That way they aren't here to bug you or fight." Taylor said.

"I would trade my situation for yours any day. I miss my parents." Gabriella told her with a shrug.

"How long are your parents gone for?" Sharpay asked.

"Two weeks." Gabriella replied. "But in two weeks they'll call, saying they have to stay for two more weeks. It's typical."

"Well, at least you have Troy here to make the time go by a lot faster." Sharpay smiled.

"Are we back on the Troy subject again?" Gabriella sighed.

"Of course." Sharpay and Taylor said together.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, but let her friends asked the questions they just had to ask and she found herself smiling as she answered. Within an hour or so, the girls were sleeping peacefully and dreaming about shopping, the perfect guy, and the potential Gabriella cookies.

* * *

**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	10. Can I Have This Dance?

**Hey everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays! This chapter is one of my favorites so I hope you like it as well. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter ten

Can I Have This Dance?

Gabriella raced down the stairs, running towards the laundry room in a hurry. She had been searching the house for her dress that she was wearing to Sharpay's house for a Friday night out for the past twenty minutes. Cascading curls of hair ran down her back as she slid down the hallway and flung herself into the laundry room. Spotting the dress on the dryer, Gabriella quickly discarded her shirt and pants and grabbed the soft dress quickly, stepping into it and pulling it over her body. She screeched as she came out of the laundry room, frantically trying to zip the dress from the back when she saw the basketball team walking in from the front door.

"Damn it!" She whispered as she stepped back into the laundry room, practically exposed from the behind.

Gabriella picked up her jeans from the floor and patted her jean pockets, finding her cell phone in the back pocket. She dialed a number quickly and breathed heavily as she listened to the dialing tone.

"Hey." She heard Troy say on the other line.

"I need you. I'm in the laundry room." She said quickly, hanging up the phone as she ended her demand.

About a minute later there was a knock on the door and it opened slowly. Gabriella grabbed Troy by the arm and yanked him into the laundry room, closing the door behind him.

"The basketball team comes at the worst times!" She whisper-yelled.

"Um… sorry." Troy said slowly as he furrowed his brow.

"Can you zip me? I'm running so late, it's not even funny!" She panicked as she turned around quickly, not caring that her underwear was now visible to Troy.

"No problem." Troy said as he carefully pulled the zipper up and closed, trying not to stare at Gabriella's tan, toned back.

Gabriella turned around and looked at Troy who was now extremely close to her since he never took a step away from her when he had finished. Noticing this, Troy took a step away and smiled softly at Gabriella.

"Thank you!" Gabriella huffed as she fluffed her hair and rolled her shoulders back. "Do I look okay? Is there anything in my teeth?" She asked as she smiled brightly, showing him her teeth.

"You look great." Troy nodded.

"Thanks, okay, well, I'm going to Sharpay's and I may not return alive since she hates when people are late!" Gabriella explained as she opened the laundry room door and power walked down the hall.

"Gabriella…" Troy called after her, stepping out of the laundry room.

Gabriella stopped by the front door and turned to see Troy. She was now trying to squeeze into high heels and she stumbled over, catching herself before she could hit the ground.

"What?" She asked in a hurry.

"You have a price tag on." He told her.

"Jesus!" Gabriella screeched impatiently as she pulled at the impossible plastic tag.

Troy laughed as he made his way over to her and she looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Let me help you." He laughed.

Troy bent down slightly and took the price tag at the bottom of her dress in his hands, squeezing it tightly and pulling the tag off of the dress with force. Gabriella was still trying to get her shoes on and she leaned against Troy, using his back as a support as she pulled her shoe on with the opposite hand.

"Are you sure I look okay?" She asked once they were both standing upright.

"You look priceless." Troy smiled as he held up the price tag in his hand.

"Thank you." Gabriella said with a laugh as she opened the front door, grabbing her purse off of the foyer table.

"Have fun." Troy smiled.

"I will! Thanks for helping me!" She said quickly, closing the door behind her.

Troy turned to go back to go into the kitchen and he smirked as he thought of Gabriella. Seconds later though, Gabriella was running back into the kitchen, her high heel slamming against the wood floor as she came to a screeching halt at the counter. She grabbed her keys and the team looked at her oddly.

"Sharpay is going to delete me from her contacts!" She said in an out of breath voice as she ran towards the front door once again.

About two hours later when the sky was sparkling with stars, Gabriella came back home, her shoes dangling from her right hand and a frown on her face. She walked slowly into the kitchen, seeing Chad, Charlie, Zeke and Troy sitting around the kitchen table. They stopped talking when Gabriella came in and she kept frowning as she slumped into the chair next to Troy.

"What are you doing home so early?" Charlie asked his sister.

"Our plans were cancelled. Ryan has the flu and Sharpay didn't want us to catch it just incase she was coming down with it and Taylor was stressed out because her parents got into another argument over dish towels." Gabriella explained in a monotone.

"It's been two hours since you left." Charlie pointed out.

"I drove around town for a while." Gabriella replied. "This summer sucks." She added as she stood up, walking out of the kitchen.

Gabriella robotically made her way up the stairs and she stopped when she heard Troy call after her. She smiled softly as she looked at him from the top of the stairs.

"Do you want to go on a walk with me? It might make you feel better." Troy asked her with a smile as he looked up at her.

"What about the guys?" She asked quietly.

"They won't miss me." Troy smirked as he gestured towards the door. "Come on."

Gabriella smiled at him and made her way back down the stairs, taking his hand as they stepped out onto the front porch. Tossing her shoes on the porch, Gabriella smiled up at Troy and he squeezed her hand as they made their way down the driveway.

"I'm sorry that your night out got cancelled." Troy said to her after they were quiet for a while, enjoying their surroundings and each other's company.

"It's okay. I'm sure we'll have another one planned by the end of the week." Gabriella told him with a shrug.

Troy smiled as he looked over at her. The path in front of them was dark as the moon was blocked by a tree and they were quiet as they listened to the night time sounds and felt the cool air against their skin. The town was quiet as they made their way out of the neighborhood and towards the stores and public.

"It's weird how peaceful it is out here." Gabriella said as they walked down the street, passing a few people and stores.

"I guess no one went out today." Troy smiled as he nodded in agreement.

Gabriella laughed quietly and noticed that they were still holding hands as they walked together. She thought about pulling her hand away, but the warmth of Troy's hand made her never want to remove her hand from his. As they made their way further into town, the number of people they saw decreased. Gabriella stopped abruptly when she saw a familiar building and Troy stopped with her, feeling her pull at his hand.

"What?" He asked her as he looked through the large windows in front of them.

"I used to dance here." Gabriella told him as she smiled softly.

"I didn't know you danced." Troy said as he looked at her.

"Really? I thought I told you." Gabriella said as she kept her eyes on the building.

Troy shook his head.

"I've been avoiding this place for years." Gabriella smiled with a small laugh.

"Why?" Troy asked.

"I was so mad when Sharpay was picked instead of me to dance with Danny Simmons. Every girl in my class had a crush on him and one lucky girl got to dance with him at our recital. I wanted to be picked so badly! It still makes me mad thinking about it." She laughed as she shook her head.

"He must have been a good dancer." Troy replied with a small laugh.

"He was." Gabriella laughed. "That was so long ago."

Troy nodded and smiled to himself as he watched Gabriella. Her hair blew in the wind and her nose was the lightest shade of pink, due to the decreasing temperature of the air.

"Troy Bolton…" Gabriella started in a quiet voice.

"Gabriella Montez?" Troy asked with a smile.

"Will you dance with me?" She asked almost shyly.

"No, no, no. I'm no Danny Simmons." Troy said with a shake of his head.

"Please!" Gabriella begged as she moved in front of him, placing her hands on his arms.

"No." Troy said sternly.

"Please." Gabriella pouted, giving him a sad look.

"I don't know how to dance, Gabriella." He said with a shake of his head.

"It's easy!" Gabriella told him with a nod.

Troy looked into her hopeful eyes and felt himself slowly give in. He sighed softly and gave Gabriella a you-owe-me look.

"There's no music." He told her.

"So." Gabriella smiled. "We'll dance without it."

Troy opened his mouth to protest once more, but Gabriella placed her index finger over his lips, shushing him with a shake of her head. She took his hand and smiled at him as she inched her way closer to him, setting her head against his chest. Troy stood there for a few seconds, wondering how he could get out of the current situation, but then he wrapped his free hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Eventually, they were moving together, as if dancing to the same song and Troy found himself enjoying it as they rocked back and forth together in front of the dance studio. Gabriella hummed softly and Troy closed his eyes as the music reached his ears.

Gabriella could feel Troy's heart beating against her cheek as she kept her eyes closed and experienced the moment that she wanted to experience years ago, only now it was with someone much more important than the dancing Danny Simmons. In this moment, she was dancing with Troy, her best friend, the boy who was a part of her dreams before she even met him.

"Gabriella," She heard him whisper softly to her, resting his hand on her shoulder blade as she took her hand out of his and wrapped it around his back, hugging him.

"Mmhh." She hummed softly, taking in his scent.

"It's getting late." He told her softly as he hugged her back.

"What time is it?" She asked him as she stayed close to him without looking up.

"Eleven." He replied.

"Really?" Gabriella asked in surprise. "I'm sorry I made you dance with me for over a half hour." Gabriella said as she removed her head from his chest, looking up at him.

Troy looked down at her, smiling softly as the soft air brushed up against them. Their lips were dangerously close and they looked into each other's eyes as they stood there. Gabriella held her breath, counting to herself.

One…two…_best_…three…_friends_…four…five…_don't_…_you_…six…_dare_…seven…_think_…_about_…eight…nine…_it_…_Gabriella_…ten.

"It's okay." Troy told her quietly as he let a small laugh escape from his lips as he watched Gabriella concentrate intensely.

"Thank you." Gabriella said quietly as she let go of Troy and took a step back, listening to her warning thoughts running through her mind. "I'm glad I finally got to dance like that." She told him.

"It was nice." Troy stated, nodding slowly as they started to walk back towards Gabriella's house, hand in hand.

"Does this make you my official dance partner?" Gabriella smirked as she looked over at Troy, smiling as they reached the corner of her street.

"We'll see. I'm not promising any public dancing." He smiled as they got closer to Gabriella's house.

"I'll take what I can get." She smiled at him, stepping up on her front porch and moving towards the door. "Are you coming in or are you heading home?" She asked.

"I should probably get home. We have an early practice tomorrow." He explained to her, watching as she twisted the door knob on the front door, pushing it open, but staying on the porch, facing him.

"Well, I'm glad you were here to rescue me today." Gabriella told him. "Thank you."

Troy smiled and shrugged.

"It's part of my job description." He chuckled as she laughed quietly.

"Goodnight, Troy Bolton." She smiled as she picked up her shoes that she had dropped on the porch before she went on a walk with Troy.

"Night, Gabriella Montez." He said as she stepped into her house, sending him a smile before she closed the door, leaving him with her traditional goodbye- "I'll email you."

Troy turned around and faced the front yard, sticking his hands in his pockets as he thought silently. _Why won't my heart stop pounding?_

"Whoa." He whispered to himself.

* * *

**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	11. Bad News

**Hey everyone! I loved all the reviews I got (FeJoy29 you made _me_ smile) and since I got so many, a lot of which from people I haven't really seen review my stories, I decided to update today instead of waiting. So, here's a chapter that I have nicknamed "The Intense Chapter". Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter eleven

Bad News

Gabriella started to email Troy and smiled, knowing that he was downstairs with her brother watching TV. She typed away as she hummed softly to herself.

To: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: Dance Partner

From: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)Comcast(dot)net

So, I took a walk early this morning and I went back towards the dance studio and I was extremely surprised to see Danny Simmons dancing like crazy inside. I just stood there, starring through that huge window and the second I walked around the corner, I laughed so hard that I almost passed out. I have no idea why I ever had a crush on that guy.

How was your morning practice? Charlie was in pain when he got home, so I imagine that it wasn't very fun. Your first scrimmage game as a Wildcat is coming up! Are you excited? I know I am.  I can actually cheer for someone! Charlie doesn't let me cheer for him. He says it draws too much attention to the fact that I am his sister.

Well, I'll talk to you later. I think Sharpay wanted me to call her to help her figure out what to wear when she goes out with Zeke.

Your Friend,

Gabriella Montez

P.S. Now that you're my official dance partner, is there any chance you'd like to be my running partner? I'm getting lonely when I'm jogging by myself.

The family room was dark as Charlie, Troy, Chad, and Zeke sat on the couch, watching a basketball game. They were loudly eating popcorn and they looked up when they heard someone clumsily stumble into the room. Taylor was standing in the doorway with tears running down her perfect skin and Chad suddenly sat forward, knocking the bowl of popcorn that was in his lap onto the floor.

"Where's Gabi?" She asked as she hiccupped and breathed deeply to control her shaking voice.

"In her room." Charlie answered without questioning as a serious look appeared on his face.

Taylor turned quickly and ran towards the stairs, gliding over the stairs with ease as she made her way towards Gabriella's room. Chad stood up and the guys followed him upstairs quietly. Gabriella immediately jumped off of her computer chair when Taylor barged into her room and she was embraced in a tight hug before any words could be spoken.

Gabriella felt Taylor's body become weak in her arms and she held onto her best friend tightly as they both slowly sank to the ground, not able to hold themselves up any longer. Gabriella's heart pounded as she felt Taylor's back move abnormally with each of her sobs and she looked up at her doorway when she heard the deep breathing of the boys who had run after Taylor.

Charlie gave Gabriella a worried look and she shook her head, indicating that she had no idea what was going on. Troy and Zeke exchanged a look as Zeke dialed a familiar number, belonging to a near by bakery, knowing that cookies may help the situation. Chad's eyes were wide as he stared at Taylor sobbing into Gabriella's shoulder and he suddenly felt an ache in his chest and a pinch in the back of his eyes. He looked away from her and before his friends knew it, he was walking away from the room, not able to take the sight in front of him.

The guys left slowly, knowing they would be no help to the situation and Taylor looked up at Gabriella, unaware of the audience she just had. Gabriella had tears in her eyes and Taylor shook her head angrily.

"My parents are getting a divorce. My dad's gone." Taylor explained as her voice shook uncontrollably.

"What?" Gabriella whispered. "Why?" She asked as she grabbed a tissue from her nightstand and handed it to her upset friend.

"Apparently they don't love each other anymore." Taylor said in disgust. "How is that even possible?" She cried in disbelief.

"I don't know." Gabriella said sadly. "Are you okay? I mean, do you need anything?"

"I can't go home." Taylor said as she wiped her damp cheeks. "I can't look at my mom the same way anymore. This is so stupid."

"You can stay here as long as you want to. There's always a spot for you here." Gabriella said as she hugged Taylor tightly.

"I don't agree with this, Gabriella. I don't agree with where my life is now headed. You know, I held protests against this and now I'm living the life of a kid in the middle of a nasty divorce." Taylor sobbed.

"Everything will be okay." Gabriella said softly.

"The house is practically empty, Gabriella. I came home from work and my mom was sitting on the couch, staring at the empty space where the TV once was. My dad took everything that was his. He just left… and my mom didn't stop him." Taylor cried quietly.

"Did you talk to your dad?" Gabriella asked.

"No." Taylor shook her head. "How could I after what he did?"

Gabriella felt a few of Taylor's tears fall onto her arm and she shook her head as she hugged Taylor again, letting her let out anymore of her sadness. Taylor wiped her eyes dry after a few more minutes and stood up slowly as she sighed.

"I'm sorry that I broke down." She said slightly embarrassed as Gabriella stood up too.

"Don't be. Best friends are for helping you get back together after breaking, right?" Gabriella asked.

"I guess." Taylor shrugged.

"And providing ice cream." Gabriella added with a smile.

"Cookie Dough?"

"Cookie Dough." Gabriella repeated as she linked her arms with Taylor's and led her toward the kitchen.

Gabriella excused herself from the kitchen once she got Taylor her ice cream and went into the family room where the guys were sitting on the couch, barely paying attention to the game on the TV, instead whispering softly about the recent dilemma.

"Hey, is she okay?" Chad asked when he saw Gabriella, instantly standing from his spot.

"What happened?" Zeke asked.

"Her parents are getting a divorce." Gabriella whispered sadly.

"What?" Troy asked in shock, knowing fairly well that this was unexpected.

"Can I talk to her?" Chad asked Gabriella, pleading with his eyes.

"Chad, I don't think that would be a good idea…" Gabriella started.

"Please. I need to know that she's okay." Chad explained as he stepped closer to her.

"Be careful. Don't make her upset." Gabriella said worriedly as she watched Chad walk toward the kitchen.

Chad walked into the deadly silent kitchen and his heart sank as he saw Taylor sitting at the island on one of the bar stools, leaning forward as she swirled her ice cream around in the glass bowl. He sat down on her right side and she looked up at him sadly. He placed his hands on the counter, basking in the awkward moment.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a whisper. He quickly cleared his throat when he realized he could barely talk to her in a regular volume.

"No." Taylor stated as she poked at her ice cream. "My parents are getting a divorce." She told him, although she had no idea why.

Chad nodded softly and glanced at Taylor quickly before looking back at the counter.

"My parents got a divorce when I was eight." Chad told her as he swallowed quickly.

"I didn't know that." Taylor said quietly as she looked over at him. "I'm sorry."

Chad shrugged and looked up from the counter so that he was looking at Taylor. She felt her eyes burn with tears and looked away from him, focusing on her melting ice cream. It was so quiet. It felt like they were paused in a movie and they were both staring out in front of them, scared of what to say next.

"What's the worst part?" Taylor asked Chad quietly. "Besides finding out and having your family torn apart?"

Chad turned his body slightly so he was facing her and he sighed deeply.

"For me it's having doubles of everything." Chad said.

"What?" Taylor asked in shock. If he was having another stupid Chad moment, thinking only about material things with no emotional attachment, she was going to kick him!

"Let's see. I have two families; one with my dad and one with my mom. Two houses, two cars, two basketball courts, two rooms."

"So…" Taylor whispered as she shook her head.

"My whole life I've been searching for just one thing that I can love without the fear of competition between my mom and dad. I grew up wanting to find something that my mom could love and my dad could love; kind of something that could only be loved once instead of at two separate times when I had to move from my mom and dad's. I hate having to love something when I'm with my mom and hate it when I'm with my dad just to please them at different times." Chad tried to explain.

"So you hate not having the feeling of having everything just once. You'd want one car, one house, one family?" Taylor asked.

"I want to be able to love something all of the time; to find that thing that I don't have to change for when I'm at my houses or in my cars or with my families." Chad explained shortly.

"Does it ever get easier?" Taylor asked him as a few tears slipped from her eyes.

Chad blinked heavily as he looked back at the counter and then back at Taylor. He moved his hand gently over her cheek, wiping her tears away and she leaned into his touch slightly.

"It takes a while." Chad admitted. "But you'll be fine. You can't blame your parents though." Chad told her, knowing that was the first thing he did when his own parents got a divorce. "Some people just aren't meant to stay together; no matter how much we might want them to."

"Thank you." Taylor whispered softly.

Chad nodded softly and stood up, walking towards the exit. He stopped when he heard Taylor call after him.

"Chad…" Taylor started as Chad turned to face her. "Did you ever find that one thing you could love no matter where you are or who you're with?" Taylor asked hopefully as she sniffled just barely.

Chad nodded sympathetically as he looked at Taylor.

"Yeah. I met her in middle school. Best day of my life." Chad nodded as he watched tears roll down her cheeks steadily.

She nodded slowly as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Who was it?" Taylor asked.

Chad felt tears glaze his own eyes and he looked down at the floor, hoping and praying that the guys weren't listening to his revealing conversation.

"You." He whispered softly, making Taylor gasp inwardly as she looked at him directly in the eyes from across the kitchen.

He turned to leave as he felt his heart beating tremendously fast. He walked past his friends and a teary eyed Gabriella, knowing they heard it all and grabbed his jacket before he left the house, walking towards his car. He drove away and pulled over at the corner and he leaned into the driver's seat with a sigh.

Never had he been so serious in his entire life. He stopped being serious the second his parents got a divorce, afraid that his serious attitude caused the divorce of his own parent's years before. He closed his eyes, seeing Taylor's sad eyes, making him quickly open them again. Something was wrong with him, he thought. He was developing serious feelings for Taylor Mckessie.

Gabriella twisted in her computer chair as she sat in her dim room. Taylor had fallen asleep a few minutes ago and she was watching her from across the room. Tears brimmed her eyes as she thought of the amount of pain one of her best friends were in and she sighed softy, sad that the Mckessie family wasn't as strong as she thought they were. She figured every family had a minor glitch in them, but she wanted so badly to think that one family could be so much better than hers, that she could believe there was still hope for her.

Gabriella's bedroom door open slowly and Charlie appeared with the house phone in his hand. He gestured towards the hallway so that he wouldn't wake Taylor up and Gabriella walked out of her room quietly.

"It's mom." He told her as he handed her the phone.

Gabriella sighed and made her way towards the spare room, sitting on the bed and taking a few deep breathes before she put the phone to her ear.

"Hey." She said tiredly.

"Gabi! How are you?" Her mom asked happily.

"Not good." Gabriella told her with a sigh.

"I'm sorry to hear that. What's wrong?" She asked as the happy tone in her voice slowly disappeared.

"Taylor's parents are getting a divorce and she's over right now." Gabriella said, brushing her bangs away from her eyes softly.

"Well, we all saw that coming." Her mom replied as if nothing bad had even happened.

"Um, no, mom, we didn't." Gabriella said as she furrowed her brow angrily. "How can you even say that?" She asked loudly.

"Honey, I'm just commenting. That family has always had some rough times… it's hard to get through things like that." She explained herself.

"What rough times, mom? Thanksgiving dinners when the turkey accidentally burnt down half of the kitchen?! Or Christmases when a few presents didn't show up because Santa a.k.a. Mr. Mckessie forgot to put them in the stockings?!" Gabriella asked angrily. "At least they were all together when rough times happened!"

"There's no need to get upset now, Gabi." Mrs. Montez said with a sigh.

"There is a reason, mom!" She yelled angrily. "It's like our family got a divorce a long time ago and Charlie and I didn't get a say in it!" She said as tears came to her eyes.

"Gabriella Montez, watch you mouth!" Mrs. Montez said angrily. "I was calling to talk to you not get into an argument with you!"

"That's not why you called, mom." Gabriella said loudly. "You're calling because you're not coming home tomorrow like you said you were!"

"Well, at least Charlie didn't yell at me about it." Mrs. Montez said harshly. "You're being a brat, Gabriella."

"How long are you going to be gone?" Gabriella snapped.

"We'll be back when school starts. We're leaving for Australia for a business trip tomorrow." Mrs. Montez answered.

"Have a wonderful time." Gabriella replied sarcastically.

"Goodbye, Gabriella." Mrs. Montez said with an irritated tone in her voice, hanging up the phone.

Gabriella hung up the phone and let out a scream as she chucked the phone at the wall, watching as the batteries and the back of the phone slid along the ground as the phone twirled on the wood floor. She bent over and started to cry, holding her face in her hands.

"Gabriella?" She heard Troy's voice, making her look up.

She sniffled and shook her head, wiping at her eyes to stop the tears from appearing. He took a few steps towards her and she stood up weakly, holding in her sobs as she sniffled.

"I'm fine, really." She said quietly.

Troy nodded softly and pulled her into a hug. Gabriella held onto Troy tightly and let her sobs out, feeling him rub her back while holding her securely. She was so mad. She was mad that Taylor was upset because of her parents. She was mad that she and her mom had no loving relationship and she was mad that it took until now, while crying her eyes out in her best friends' arms, that the only person that had been there for her whenever or for whatever reason was that friend. The friend that was telling her that everything was going to be okay.

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**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	12. Avoiding Feelings

**Hey Everyone! So I made a lot of you cry, and I apologize. :) The reviews were amazing as usual and they were really long and I love long reviews, so thank you! This chapter is a little more upbeat, so I hope you're smiling instead of crying. Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter twelve

Avoiding Feelings

It had been a few days since Taylor shared her news about her parents with Gabriella and it had been a few days since Gabriella talked to Troy, embarrassed after she broke down in front of him minutes after receiving her mother's phone call. Sharpay, Taylor, and Gabriella were now sitting in a booth at a local restaurant, hiding behind the large menus that were in their hands.

"This is ridiculous, Tay!" Sharpay said to her good friend. "If you wanted to hide from Chad, then you shouldn't have picked the restaurant he works at to go for dinner!" Sharpay whispered as she peeked around her menu, noticing Chad a few tables away from them.

"I'm not hiding from him!" Taylor explained. "He's hiding from me! He got a job so he wouldn't have to hang out at Gabriella's house after practice! He knew I'd be there and every time I get a glimpse of him around town, he's running away from me at all costs!"

"Gosh, Tay, what'd you do to the poor guy?" Sharpay asked as she looked at Taylor and Gabriella next to her.

"Nothing!" Taylor said quickly.

"Wait, are you hiding something from me? And Gabriella, why are you not talking to Troy? Zeke told me that he hasn't seen you around the house lately, and Troy hasn't even been at his computer for more then two seconds in almost four days!" Sharpay explained to her friends.

She sat up and put her menu down, sick of the game of hide and never seek they were playing. Taylor shrieked as their cover was obviously blown and Gabriella sighed, setting her menu down as well.

"Thanks guys. I thought you had my back." Taylor mumbled as she sat up as well.

A waiter made his way over to the table and he smiled at the girls, getting his pen and paper ready for their orders.

"Hi." Taylor started before he could speak. "I need you to do me a favor." She began as she cleared her throat. "I need you to get that guy over there to be our waiter."

"Okay." The guy said slowly, turning away from them and walking over to Chad.

The girls watched as their waiter went up to Chad, whispering to him and they saw Chad look their way and sigh deeply. Taylor gave Gabriella a look and she shrugged, continuing to watch. Chad walked up to them, avoiding Taylor's gaze as he flipped open his notepad. His formal outfit made Gabriella laugh quietly to herself, but she stopped when she noticed the familiar people coming through the restaurant doors. She grabbed her menu, pulling it in front of her and watched as Chad eyed her suspiciously.

"Are you avoiding me?" Taylor asked as Chad was writing down Sharpay's order.

He avoided the question and glanced at her quickly.

"What would you like?" He asked her.

"For you not to avoid me!" She said quickly.

"I don't think the chef can prepare that, but I can ask him for you." He said seriously.

"Chad!" Taylor huffed in annoyance.

"Crap!" Gabriella shrieked.

"What are you doing Gabriella?!" Taylor asked her, pulling down the menu as Chad looked around the restaurant.

Noticing Troy walking towards a table with Zeke, Chad stepped in front of Gabriella when he knew she had no cover anymore. Gabriella shot him a thankful look and he shrugged, knowing how it felt to be discovered when trying to avoid someone.

"Are you two working together now?" Sharpay asked them suspiciously.

"No, I just…" Gabriella started.

"I am sick of this." Taylor sighed, grabbing Gabriella's arm and pulling her out of the booth with her.

Gabriella's eyes widened when she noticed where Taylor was taking her and she looked back at their table to see that Chad was gone and Sharpay was looking at them in confusion. Troy and Zeke exchanged a look when they saw Taylor pulling Gabriella towards them and before Gabriella or Troy could even think of what was happening, Gabriella was pulled right onto Troy's lap, her arms wrapping around his neck so that she wouldn't fall right onto the floor.

"Work it out!" Taylor told them quickly, leaving to find Chad.

"What is going on?" Troy asked her as she cursed under her breath.

"Oh…um… nothing! Chad's just avoiding Taylor and she's upset about it." Gabriella explained.

"I never thought that I would hear that." Zeke said with a laugh as he got up, noticing Sharpay sitting alone.

"So does the fact that Chad is avoiding Taylor have anything to do with the fact that you're avoiding me?" He asked her with a faint smile.

"No, that's not the reason." Gabriella told him unconsciously.

"So you _are_ avoiding me?" He asked.

"I walked right into that didn't I?" She asked with a sigh.

Troy nodded and waited for Gabriella to explain herself.

"I don't know… I was kind of embarrassed that I cried in front of you. It's not like me, I guess." She said with a shrug, looking over at Sharpay and Zeke who were sitting across the room.

"You don't have to avoid me just because I saw you when you weren't all tough like you usually are." Troy said with a shake of his head. "It won't change the fact that you're my best friend and that I'm always going to be there for you."

"Well, since we haven't talked in forever, I have a few things to fill you in on." Gabriella smirked as she got up from his lap and sat down in the chair across from him.

Troy leaned forward, ready to hear what she had to say and he smiled at her before she started.

"Taylor is falling for Chad." She said seriously.

***

Taylor walked outside quickly, making her way around the restaurant and she tiptoed as she walked towards the back door of the kitchen. She smiled softly when she spotted Chad hauling a bag of garbage into the dumpster and she stepped closer to him.

"You didn't think you could avoid me for this long, did you?" Taylor asked, watching as Chad jumped, unaware of the fact that she was just behind him.

"Gosh, Taylor, way to scare a guy." Chad said as he walked away from the dumpster and towards the door.

"Chad, please, don't leave me back here alone. I'm trying to talk to you." She said impatiently.

"I have to work." He told her.

"I'm sure Sharpay and Gabriella can wait a little bit for their food." Taylor told him.

Chad stopped, but kept his back towards her, sticking his hands in his pant pockets.

"Why are you avoiding me, Chad?" She asked him.

"I didn't think you'd have a problem with it. You did all that you could to get me away from you before." He said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"I always thought that I was some kind of joke to you, Chad. That's why I never gave you the time of day." Taylor explained. "But you helped me a lot the other day and you're the only one who understands how I'm feeling right now."

"Well, I'm glad I could help you, but I have to go, I'll see you later." He said as he walked up the stairs that led up to the kitchen door.

"But, Chad!" She said quickly.

"Goodbye, Taylor." He said as the door closed behind him.

Taylor walked angrily into the restaurant and sat down at Troy and Gabriella's table, ignoring the fact that they were just deep in conversation. Gabriella looked at Troy worriedly and then she turned her attention back to Taylor.

"So, did you talk to him?" Gabriella asked her.

"Yeah. Let's just say that Chad no longer thinks I'm looking hot, if you will." Taylor said quickly.

"What do you mean?" Troy asked her as he furrowed his brow.

"He doesn't like me anymore and oddly I'm not okay with that." Taylor admitted.

"I'm sure everything will work out." Troy assured her.

"I hope you're right." Taylor said with a sigh.

***

Troy and Zeke were sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant after the girls had left and they were waiting for Chad, watching as the tables around them slowly emptied and the chairs were starting to be stacked on top of the tables. Chad walked over to them once he was done working and sat at the table, looking at them somewhat embarrassed.

"What's up, man?" Troy asked him as Chad loosened his tie.

"Nothing, dude. I'm just stressed out." Chad told him, sighing. "Why is everyone bugging me today?"

"Well, it's not normal for you to reject Taylor." Zeke pointed out with a shrug.

"I didn't reject her." Chad explained stressfully.

"Well, you've been ignoring her, right?" Troy asked. "Why are you?"

"I don't know… I just don't want to force her into liking me. I want her to want to like me." Chad explained.

"Trust me, Chad. I think she always has." Troy said with a smile.

"And you know this because?" Chad asked.

"Remember that I'm Gabriella's best friend. She tells me stuff and plus Taylor was all sad after she talked to you." Troy told him.

"Well, I guess I blew it. I give up with Taylor. I've tried too hard anyways." Chad answered as he stood up from his chair.

"You're giving up just as she is falling for you, idiot!" Zeke said, raising his voice, which was not like him at all.

"Are you really going to give up on her when she needs you most?" Troy asked him seriously.

Chad groaned angrily and left his friends at the table, getting in his car and driving to his mom's house. He slammed his car door after grabbing his basketball bag and he tossed his keys in the air, catching them as he walked towards the front door. He stopped quickly when he saw Taylor sitting on the swinging chair on the front porch. She stood up when she saw him and she eyed him angrily.

"How long does it take to get here, Chad? I'm freezing!" She said angrily.

"It's summer." He replied in a monotone.

"Whatever." Taylor answered.

Chad sighed and grabbed his sweatshirt out of his bag and tossed it to Taylor. She looked at the sweater for a few seconds, but then put it on.

"Well, since you're my stalker now, why don't you sit down?" Chad said, smiling softly at the fact that she looked comfortable in his sweatshirt that had his last name on the back.

Taylor sat down quickly and pulled her legs under her as Chad sat down next to her, rocking the swing as he moved his foot softly. The stars and moon were the only lights visible and they sat there for a few minutes before either of them talked.

"I'm sorry that I've been avoiding you." Chad said as he tilted his head back, looking up at the stars.

"Well, I'm sorry that it took me until now to realize that you're not such a bad guy." Taylor replied as she looked over at him.

"I didn't exactly give you reason to think otherwise." Chad replied with a soft laugh.

"I came to say thanks, Chad. I really do appreciate what you said to me the other day." Taylor said to him, smiling softly.

"There's no need to thank me." Chad smiled. "I'm just glad you're doing better."

"I am." Taylor nodded with a small smile.

Chad smiled at her as he turned his head towards her and she smiled back as she sat up slowly.

"I better get going. My mom will probably kill me if I'm any later." She said quietly.

"Okay." Chad nodded as she stood up.

"Goodnight, Chad." She smiled.

"Night, Tay." He replied.

Taylor walked towards the steps and she stopped when she heard Chad laugh from behind her.

"Ta-ay-lor you're looking hot in my basketball sweatshirt." He smirked.

Taylor turned slowly and put her hand on her hip, eyeing him and then she smiled, coaxing her hip to the side. She walked over to him, bending down close to him as if she was about to whisper in his ear, but instead she kissed him on the cheek and then made her way back towards the porch steps.

"I do, don't I?" She asked with a smile.

Chad nodded, half speechless and mainly shocked as he stayed seated on his front porch, watching Taylor get into her car and drive away with a smile clear on her face. Maybe avoiding people didn't always turn out so bad after all.

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**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	13. A Favor

**Hey everyone! Happy New Year! Here's a tip for 2009: If you have a dog, don't go and see Marley and Me. I made the mistake of going... and I was sobbing through 1/3 of the movie... and all the way home! :) Okay, well, this chapter is kind of short, but Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter thirteen

A Favor

The Montez house was quiet except for the TV that was on in the family room where Charlie sat eating his cereal while intently watching the cartoon characters chase after each other. Gabriella was asleep, peacefully lying on the left side of her bed and the morning sun shimmered against her wood floor softly. Troy, well, Troy was skipping up the Montez's staircase, ignoring the fact that he was technically breaking and entering. He opened the door to Gabriella's bedroom and sighed when he saw that she was sleeping.

"Gabriella!" He whispered as he shook her softly, smiling as she shifted in her spot. "Gabriella…"

"I'm sleeping." Gabriella whispered without opening her eyes.

"Did you get my email?" Troy asked her as he sat on the side of her bed, watching as she pulled the covers over her head.

"When did you send it?" She asked him, hoping that she was looking okay, because before she went to bed she definitely remembered dark bags under her eyes.

"A few minutes ago." Troy replied.

"Troy, I'm sleeping." Gabriella sighed.

"I know, but it's kind of important." Troy explained.

Gabriella groaned, pushing the covers away from her face as she sat up. She looked at Troy and placed her hands in her lap, hoping that this was actually important.

"What?" She asked him simply.

"Chad and Taylor are dating." Troy told her.

"WHAT!" Gabriella screeched grabbing Troy's arm tightly. "You're kidding!"

"Nope. Chad called and told me that Taylor was waiting for him after work and it just happened." Troy explained to her as he observed her tangled hair and old East High basketball T-shirt.

"What exactly do you mean?" Gabriella asked him.

"Taylor kissed Chad." Troy replied.

"Taylor kissed Chad?! I never thought I would hear that!" Gabriella said excitedly, smiling brightly as she thought about how happy Taylor probably was. "What kind of kiss was it though? Did Chad get detailed?"

"First of all," Troy started as he sent Gabriella an odd look. "Ew, Gabs, why would he go into detail? And why would you want to know?" Gabriella laughed softly as Troy answered. "She kissed him on the cheek."

Gabriella let go of Troy's arm and sent him a disappointed look.

"What's wrong?" Troy asked her.

"Troy, that doesn't mean they're going out." Gabriella said with a sigh.

"Well, with the way Chad was hyperventilating, it sounded like they were going out." Troy explained, noticing how pretty Gabriella looked even though she had just gotten up.

"They're not dating." Gabriella told him.

"But she kissed him." Troy said slowly, wanting for his assumption to be right.

"On the cheek." Gabriella stated, leaning forward and kissing Troy right on the cheek. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Well maybe to you, but to Chad it meant that they were dating." Troy answered, not noticing how Gabriella smirked as she saw the lightest blush appear on his cheeks.

"Are you going to break the news to him?" Gabriella asked, sliding off of the bed, walking towards the bathroom.

Troy sighed, getting up from the bed and walking towards the bathroom as well, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Gabriella pull her hair up into a ponytail. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, smiling before he turned to walk towards her bedroom door.

"Fine. I'll tell him that a kiss on the cheek means nothing, party pooper." He said before he closed the door behind him.

Gabriella's heart pounded and she smiled to herself as she looked into her reflection in the mirror.

Later, when Gabriella was sure that she was going to die of boredom, she made her way out of her house and started to walk towards Troy's house. She smiled as it came into view, laughing as Troy was spotted taking the garbage cans into the garage. She skipped towards him quietly and put her hands on his shoulders, laughing as he jumped, unaware that anyone was around.

"Sorry to scare you." She laughed as he turned around, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

"I didn't hear you coming up." He chuckled. "You came at the perfect time. I just finished a whole bunch of yard work."

"Well, I have done absolutely nothing since you woke me up so early this morning." Gabriella smiled, following as he made his way into his house.

"It was nine thirty. You're not one of those people who sleep in until noon, are you?" He asked with a smirk, grabbing a water bottle out of the refrigerator.

"So what if I am, Troy Bolton." Gabriella laughed, noticing that the house was spotless. "Did you clean in here too?" She asked, impressed.

"Nah, Zeke had to clean in here. He should be around here somewhere," Troy said as he led her down the hallway. "Unless he went to Sharpay's." He smiled.

"They've been spending a lot of time together." Gabriella commented as she followed Troy upstairs.

"Looks to me like they're getting serious. Zeke must have at least ten variations of Sharpay cookies." Troy explained to Gabriella looking behind him as he climbed the stairs, making sure she was still there.

"Well, that seems reasonable. Sharpay has at least ten different personalities." Gabriella smiled, seeing Zeke appear as his bedroom door opened.

"Oh, hey, Gabriella." He smiled, waving slightly.

"Hey, Zeke." Gabriella smiled back at him. "Nice job with the cleaning."

"It's my second talent." He laughed, disappearing into the hallway bathroom.

Troy chuckled and made his way into his room with Gabriella following him.

"Whoa, wildcat." She laughed in surprise as she saw his room. "It looks like Zeke skipped this room."

"It's not that bad." Troy replied as he kicked his clothes that were accumulating on the floor onto a pile. "At least the bed is fixed." He said with a shrug, picking up the clothes and tossing them into the hamper, making the room appear to be clean.

"Well, that's a start." Gabriella smirked, sitting down on his bed as he attempted to clean up a few things.

Gabriella looked around the room some more. Although the room was somewhat messy, it had tons of things that reminded her of Troy. It was definitely a basketball player's room. The shelves that were placed perfectly on the wall across from his bed held multiple basketball trophies and awards.

She smiled as she saw his organized desk with a bumper sticker sitting upwards that read: _School is for those who don't have a chance in the NBA. That's why I sleep during it!_ She laughed quietly as Troy pulled out some clothes to change into and she continued to look around the room.

Troy disappeared into his bathroom and Gabriella looked at the dresser that Troy took clothes out of. There were a few picture frames sitting on it and she scouted off of the bed and walked towards them. The first picture was of a large group of people on a beach, most with surfboards, dressed in bathing suits. She assumed that they were Troy's Californian friends, and she smiled, looking at the other pictures. She picked up a picture that was not in a frame and she furrowed her brow as she saw it.

The picture was of her, but she was almost positive that she didn't give it to him. She remembered taking that picture though… it was at Sharpay's house at one of her Christmas parties. She shook her head, laughing at herself for not figuring it out right away.

"Nice picture." Gabriella said, holding up the picture of herself as Troy emerged from his bathroom.

Troy laughed, tossing his dirty clothes into the hamper. He walked over to Gabriella, taking the picture out of her hand and placing it carefully back on his dresser so it set up against the picture of his Californian friends.

"Sharpay gave it to me." He said as he blushed lightly, but not too embarrassed about it.

"Are these your friends from California?" She asked as she crossed her arms across her chest, leaning forward to get a better view of the picture.

"Yeah. They sent it to me when I moved. They said I'd go crazy if I couldn't see them everyday on the beach." Troy chuckled looking at the picture as Gabriella did.

"Do you think you will?" Gabriella asked seriously, noticing the somewhat sad look on his face as he thought about the past.

Troy shook his head, moving away from the dresser, picking up the basketball that was sitting on his bed, tossing it from one hand to the other.

"No." Troy said to her, walking around his room. "It's not as bad as you think, Gabriella." He told her.

"I know, but if I had to move away from all of my friends, I'd miss them, you know? I just hope you're not too sad." She explained to him, walking over to him where he was twirling the basketball on his middle finger, looking out the window.

"I'm not sad." He smiled, hugging her softly as he tossed the basketball back onto his bed. "You just worry too much."

"Yeah, well, get used to it." She smiled, ruffling his hair as she laughed quietly, grabbing the basketball off of Troy's bed after she escaped from his grasp. "I'll race you down stairs." She said, dribbling the basketball lightly on the wood floor, making her way quickly out of his room.

Gabriella smiled as she walked into her room later after playing a carefree game of basketball with Troy. She plopped down on her bed, breathing deeply as she thought. She tapped her index finger on her cell phone and picked it up, pressing speed dial number five. She blinked slowly as she kept her eyes on the ceiling and she smiled as she heard a familiar voice on the other line.

"Hey, Zeke! I need to ask you a favor…" She smiled.

* * *

**What is Gabriella up to? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	14. A Surprise

**Hey everyone! So, this is the last update for Christmas break... I'm saddened greatly that I have to go back to school on Monday. :( I'll try to update as frequenly as I can when school starts and I hope you all get a chance to read! **

**I loved all of your predictions of what Gabriella is up to. Many of them made me laugh! I hope I can make you laugh some how to return the favor! Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter fourteen

A Surprise

Gabriella skipped towards her bathroom, laughing softly at herself as she fluffed her hair and made sure she looked somewhat decent before she made her way over to Troy's house were they were having a get together with everyone. She rolled her eyes at Charlie as he walked slowly towards the front door and before he could protest, Gabriella grabbed his hand and pulled him down the driveway, power walking towards Troy's house.

"Why are you so excited?" Charlie asked as he tried to remove his hand from hers.

"I'm not." Gabriella smiled as she tugged harder on Charlie's hand, wanting him to hurry up already and start walking faster! "Does my hair look okay?" She asked him, arranging her hair along her shoulders.

"Looks like you just rolled out of bed." He yawned, his own hair looking like he just rolled out of bed, which didn't exactly surprise Gabriella.

"No, seriously, how does it look?" She asked as she looked over at him after ringing the doorbell.

"It looks normal." Charlie said with a sigh.

Gabriella smirked, taking any variation of a compliment from Charlie that she could get. The door open, revealing Mrs. Bolton with a happy smile on her face.

"Hey Gabriella!" She beamed with excitement. "Come on in!" She said, stepping aside so that she and Charlie could come in. "You're not getting into to much trouble, are you?" She laughed softly as she directed her question to Charlie.

"I can't promise that I haven't." Charlie smiled genuinely, glancing at Gabriella as she made her way towards the kitchen.

The group was already there: Sharpay, Zeke, Taylor, Chad, and of course, Troy. Although Gabriella hated being the last person anywhere, she was okay with it today as she hugged Sharpay and Taylor, smiling as Zeke laughed loudly as he and Troy talked together.

"Hey, man!" Chad said with a smile as Charlie appeared into the kitchen, looking as though he was thinking about something. Gabriella observed him as he smiled and greeted his friends.

Sharpay shrieked as Zeke whispered something funny in her ear and Gabriella smiled, seeing Troy and Chad look over at them as well. Taylor glanced over at Chad and Chad awkwardly glanced away from her as their eyes met. Gabriella's giggle made Taylor raise an eyebrow and look away from Chad.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked, popping an M&M in her mouth that she took from the glass bowl on the counter. Gabriella's giggle continued as she sat on the counter.

"You and Chad." Gabriella smiled, shrugging as she grabbed a handful of M&Ms.

"What do you mean by 'me and Chad'?" She asked as if she never heard them associated in the same sentence.

"You're kidding, right?" Gabriella asked as she arranged the M&Ms in her hand by color.

"About what?" Taylor asked quickly, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.

"The other day Troy comes barging into my room…" Gabriella started, rolling her eyes as Taylor raised an eyebrow. "And he tells me that you and Chad are dating because he thinks that because you kissed him on the cheek, everything is suddenly official." Gabriella explained.

"How does Troy know all of that? I haven't even told you about it." Taylor asked suspiciously.

"Chad told him… and why haven't you told me, Miss Taylor?" Gabriella asked her, smiling playfully.

"Because I didn't want to make a huge deal about it." Taylor whispered.

Gabriella leaned forward as she looked at Taylor seriously.

"Why are you whispering?" She asked with a smirk.

"Because if I make any sudden movements or loud noises around Chad, he freaks out!" Taylor explained quickly.

"Huh?" Gabriella asked in confusion, not sure of what her friend was talking about.

"CHAD!" Taylor exclaimed loudly, turning to look over at him.

"What?!" He asked quickly, turning around so suddenly that he knocked over a cup of water.

Troy laughed out loud as Gabriella gasped, grabbing a towel to clean the water spill.

"See." Taylor sighed.

"I think I would have done the same thing." Gabriella said with a small laugh, feeling bad for Chad and the awkward state he was in. "Maybe you should talk to him."

"And risk being thrown up on? No thanks." Taylor said in a monotone, rolling her eyes at the flirting Sharpay and Zeke. She glanced over at Chad and noticed that Troy was watching Gabriella carefully decide what color M&Ms she was going to eat first. "Are you in love with Troy?" She asked.

Gabriella slipped off of the edge of the counter, causing the carefully sorted M&Ms to fly out of her hand and onto the wood floor of the kitchen, bouncing around annoyingly. Gabriella's hand flew to her throat as she chocked on a brown M&M and she fanned her face as the group suddenly started laughing (Charlie) and panicking (Troy) all at the same time.

"Are you okay?" Troy asked quickly, coming around the kitchen island, stepping on a spinning blue M&M.

"Yeah." Gabriella coughed. "I'm okay." She said, eyeing Taylor. "I'm so not." She pointed at her, making sure she understood and Taylor nodded, trying to hide her smile.

"Gosh, Tay, you've already caused two accidents! Who will be next?" Chad asked from his spot by Charlie, laughing softly.

Taylor rolled her eyes, choosing not to blurt the comment she would have so harshly thrown at Chad. Troy looked at Gabriella with concern seen clearly in his eyes.

"I'm fine, really. It was just one of those darn brown M&Ms." Gabriella explained with a small smile.

"Ah," Troy nodded with a laugh. "Your least favorite."

Gabriella smiled softly and knelt on the ground to pick up the scattered M&Ms from the floor. She laughed as she saw a spinning red M&M and she stopped it as she laid her hand on top of it and then added it to the pile in her hand. The sound of an unfamiliar voice made her furrow her brow as she heard him.

"Surprise, surprise, surprise, dudes!" A happy voice exclaimed, causing both Troy and Zeke to holler in excitement and move quickly towards him while everyone just smiled and looked at each other in confusion.

Gabriella cautiously stood up from the ground and saw the blonde, tan surfer in the doorway. His surfboard could be seen leaning against the foyer wall beyond him. He had a muscle shirt on, one that had the words LIFEGUARD bolded in white letters on the front. Gabriella smirked as Sharpay fanned herself with her hand, looking over at her as she mouthed the word HOT. Troy and Zeke's large smiles gave away that they obviously knew this guy and were beyond ecstatic to see him as they each gave him a hug. Gabriella smiled softly as she watch the guys talk loudly.

"Who is that?" Charlie asked, startling Gabriella slightly as he appeared behind her almost mysteriously.

"I'm not sure." Gabriella shrugged as she watched them.

Troy and Zeke turned towards the group, letting this guy get a look at their friends. The guy smiled, looking excited.

"Everyone, this is Will. Will, this is everyone." Zeke laughed softly, pointing to his friends.

"Hey, Will!" Chad exclaimed sticking his hand out to shake Will's, laughing slightly as Will pulled him into a hug.

"It's great to meet you!" He said, still smiling as he patted Chad on the arm.

"You too." Chad chuckled, taking a step away from Will. "This is Taylor." Chad said, pointing to Taylor who was yawning as she stood by the island.

"Hi." She smiled softly.

Will smiled, outstretching his arms to hug Taylor, but Chad put his hand out to stop him. Shaking his head slightly.

"She's my girlfriend." Chad replied, making everyone's attention directed towards him, thinking it was weird to finally hear one of them admit that.

"Chad," Taylor sighed. "It's just a hug." She rolled her eyes, hugging Will, not denying what Chad had said.

"It's nice to meet you." He nodded, taking a step backwards, turning as he smiled at Sharpay. "You must be Sharpay, Zeke's girlfriend." He said to her.

"Yes, I am." Sharpay said with a smile, outstretching her hand to shake his.

Zeke laughed loudly and shook his head.

"He won't bite." Zeke told her, still laughing.

Sharpay shrugged, clearing her throat as she hugged him quickly. Will stepped away from Sharpay and spotted Gabriella and Charlie leaning against the kitchen counter by the sink, watching him.

"Are you two, like, twins?" He asked them, noticing the close resemblance between the two.

The group laughed loudly while Gabriella groaned and Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Way to make a first impression, man." Charlie said to him, patting him harshly on the arm.

"I'm Gabriella." Gabriella said with a shake of her head, elbowing her brother in the side. "It's nice to met you."

"Gabriella Montez? I've heard a lot about you." He smiled, hugging her. "You're so much prettier than I imagined!" He admitted, making Troy groan in embarrassment.

Gabriella giggled, hearing Chad whisper something to Taylor, which resulting in getting whacked by an eye-rolling Taylor.

"So, what are you doing here, man?" Troy asked as he sat down on a bar stool.

"I just thought it was time to visit! I missed you guys and plus, I'm sure you missed me." He laughed at his egotistical comment, glancing at Gabriella.

"Hey, are you still dating that one girl… Tammy?" Zeke asked, laughing at his faked attempt to forget the girl's name.

"I proposed to her two weeks ago!" Will said, making both Zeke and Troy's jaw drop and the girls "aw" in response.

"You're kidding!" Troy said in shock.

"Nope. She said yes! I've never been happier." Will explained, his smile wide and beaming bright.

"How long have you known her?" Sharpay asked, leaning against the counter next to Gabriella.

Will smiled, laughing quietly as if he was thinking of something secretly.

"She's been my best friend for as long as I can remember." He replied, causing the coke that Charlie was just about to swallow come up threw his nose as he choked on it. The way Troy glanced at Gabriella went unnoticed by her, but noticed by Taylor and Sharpay and they looked at each other with a raise of their eyebrows.

"You're disgusting, Charlie." Gabriella whispered taking a few steps towards the kitchen island to grab a napkin for him, handing it to him.

"You okay, dude?" Will asked him.

"I'm good." Charlie nodded, clearing his throat.

With a few more words exchanged, Mrs. Bolton walked into the kitchen, smiling slightly.

"Where did the surfboard come…" She stopped when she saw Will and her smile increased as she opened her arms wide. "Hey, Will!" She exclaimed, hugging him in a motherly way.

"Is it just me, or do Californian's hug a lot?" Chad whispered to Taylor as Mrs. Bolton gushed over the familiar face.

Later, when the group had most of Will's life story told to them and they got a chance to get to know each other further, Charlie left, using the excuse that he was tired, followed by Taylor shortly afterwards, getting a soft kiss from Chad before she disappeared behind the front door. Zeke smiled as he felt Sharpay's head against his shoulder, noticing that she had fallen asleep as Will told the story about when he and Troy almost got attacked by a shark, realizing soon after that it was a dolphin. Laughing at the same parts that she had laughed at when she read it in the email from Troy, she smiled over at him as she heard him laugh with her.

Sharpay woke up a few minutes later, yawning softly as she sat up.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Zeke asked her as her wrapped a piece of her blonde hair around his finger, watching as it fell against her back as he let go of it.

"I can drop her off on my way home, Zeke." Chad offered. "I mean, unless you want to." He said as he stood up from the couch.

"I'd love for you to take me home." Sharpay said with a friendly smile. "And we can talk about your relationship with Taylor!" She added.

"Wonderful." Chad said sarcastically as Sharpay linked her arm with his, walking towards the front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Sharpay blew a kiss to Zeke and waved at Troy and Will.

Zeke stood as he heard the engine of Chad's car rumble from the driveway.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'm beat." Zeke yawned.

"You're whipped." Will chuckled.

"Says the guy who proposed to his high school sweetheart." Zeke replied, heading upstairs with a smile.

Gabriella smiled, sitting up with a sigh.

"I should leave you two to catch up." Gabriella said to Troy and Will.

"Ah, don't leave because of me." Will said with a laugh.

"It's okay." Gabriella smiled, standing up, sticking her cell phone in her pocket after she picked it up from the coffee table.

Troy stood as well, walking with her to the front door. He smiled as he leaned against the door frame, watching her on the front porch.

"Today was an exciting day, wasn't it?" Gabriella asked Troy with a smirk, sticking her hands in her jean pockets.

"Yeah, I definitely didn't expect this." Troy explained, his happy smile that had been on his face for most of the day, widening.

"Are you happy?" Gabriella asked softly, inhaling the cool summer air.

"Very." Troy answered, nodding.

"Alright wildcat," Gabriella started. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Troy replied as Gabriella turned to go. "Hey, Gabs." He said quietly.

"Yeah?" She asked as she turned to face him once again.

"Come here." He said, tilting his head to the side to indicate that he wanted her to come closer.

She furrowed her brow, but did what she was asked to do and she smiled as she stood in front of him, smelling his familiar cologne. He leaned forward slightly and kissed her on the cheek, making a smile appear quickly on her lips.

"I'll email you."

Gabriella nodded, not sure why she suddenly couldn't say anything in return and headed towards the sidewalk to make her way home, laughing when she came to the corner Troy always stood at when he waved to her, and she turned to face Troy's house and she waved at him, where he was waiting on the porch, barely visible now, but Gabriella saw him wave anyways.

* * *

**Like it? Review!**

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	15. A Friend

**Hey everyone! Who almost fell asleep in class when they got back to school? I know I did! :) Having a history lecture at seven in the morning can really put a damper on ones' morning. **

**Okay, well, a lot of you really want there to be a relationship between Troy and Gabriella (as do I) but REMEMBER that relationships don't happen in a week and a half... and trust me, I have my twists and turns coming. So for now, be patient and relax! Troy and Gabriella have gotten together in all of my stories... whether being away from each other for eighteen years or after being held hostage... you get the point, right? Enough of my ranting! Enjoy! **

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I'll Email You

Chapter fifteen

A Friend

To: GabreillaSWEETMontez(at)Comcast(dot)net

Subject: Chad and Taylor

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

I talked to Chad this morning and apparently he got so annoyed at Sharpay for asking him so many questions about Taylor and their relationship that he made her walk the rest of the way home. Zeke isn't too happy about that and he's not home right now… I have a feeling that he either went to Chad's house to yell and or physically hurt him or he went to practice early… I'm hoping that he went to practice early because although Zeke's a pretty nonviolent guy, he can do some serious damage if he gets mad enough.

Has Taylor talked about Chad at all? Are they dating?! It's almost like they fight like they used to, but they look at each other as if they were head over heels... I'll ask Chad at practice… hopefully he doesn't kick me out of any cars! Jk 

Will says, "Hi". He's an idiot… he just came in here and typed that. Now he's singing a made up song about me "getting off of the computer already because he's bored." Okay, so I guess this means I have to go. Talk to you later!

Your friend,

Troy Bolton

P.S. I love Gabriella Montez

P.S.S. Will is an idiot.

Gabriella laughed loudly at Will's additions to Troy's email and she smiled as she minimized her email, saving her reply for later, knowing that Troy was most likely already at practice. The sound of the doorbell made Gabriella get up from her chair and make her way towards the front door, opening it, she smiled as she saw Taylor and Sharpay.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" She asked with a smile, happy that her friends decided to make a visit.

"We thought since the guys are at practice we could have some needed girl time." Taylor explained, stepping into the house, followed by Sharpay.

"Did Chad really make you walk home?" Gabriella asked Sharpay once they were in the kitchen, sitting at the island.

"Yes, he did." She said somewhat angrily, looking over at Taylor as if she had something to do with it.

"Hey, don't look at me." Taylor said, defending herself from Sharpay's wrath.

"Well, he is your boyfriend." Sharpay said with a sigh, clearly aggravated that Chad had made her walk home and that Taylor wasn't exactly admitting that she and Chad were an item.

"He's not my boyfriend." Taylor told her friends.

"Then what is he?" Gabriella asked in confusion.

"A friend…" Taylor replied.

"That you kiss occasionally." Sharpay added with an eye roll.

"Whatever." Taylor said as she glared softly at Sharpay.

"So, if you don't mind me asking…" Gabriella started as she grabbed a grape out of the bowl in the middle of the island. "What exactly is going on with you guys?"

"Can I ask you something first." Taylor replied.

"Go for it." Gabriella said with a laugh.

"If you were dating Troy and you didn't know if it was technically official or you weren't sure if he was completely ready to be in that relationship, would you want to be telling the whole world and going PDA crazy?" She asked her with a raise of her eyebrows.

"Not really." Gabriella answered, understanding that that was what Taylor was most likely going through.

"Then you understand where I'm coming from and we don't need to talk about my relationship with Chad." Taylor said with a shrug.

"Okay." Gabriella agreed, not wanting to upset her friend.

"Geez, you and Chad are defensive about your maybe-maybe not relationship!" Sharpay exclaimed, shaking her head, not understanding why they didn't want to make their relationship public.

"Well, Sharpay, maybe you shouldn't ask so many freaking questions." Taylor said calmly.

"PMS." Sharpay sang happily.

"Shar…" Gabriella started; ready to give her a short talk on Taylor's feelings and the need to keep a few things personal, when the doorbell rang once again.

Going together, the girls came to the door, opening it to reveal Will. Gabriella furrowed her brow, but smiled even though she was unsure why he was at her house.

"Hey, Will." Sharpay said with a cheesy smile, waving in a friendly manner.

"Hey, girls." Will smiled. "I was bored since everyone at the Bolton's is gone, so do you think you'd be up for some basketball?" He asked, gesturing towards the basketball under his arm.

"Gosh, you too? Can't one guy not like basketball?" Taylor asked with a sigh.

"We'd love to play some basketball." Gabriella said, shoving Taylor lightly.

"Sweet." Will smiled, stepping aside so that the girls could make their way outside.

Once they were all out on the Montez driveway, they decided just to play horse, since Sharpay and Taylor weren't exactly good at playing actual basketball. The summer heat wasn't making them suffer too much, but Will's shoulders were becoming bright red as they continued to play.

"Are you sure you don't need sun tan lotion?" Gabriella asked for the second time since they got out there, worried that he'd be in pain later.

"Nah, I'm used to it. It'll turn into a tan by tomorrow." He answered with a smirk.

"Lucky!" Sharpay exclaimed. "I look like a lobster for weeks if I don't put on suntan lotion!"

"It's the Californian skin." Will chuckled as he shot a basket.

"So, do you see tons of celebrities in California?" Sharpay asked as a daydreaming smile appeared on her face, hoping that one day she'd be one of those celebrities.

"A few." Will shrugged as he dribbled the basketball. "But they're not outside a lot so no one really sees any. I do know where Zac Efron lives though." Will added.

"No way!" The girls exclaimed together.

"Yup, but I can't give you that information. He wouldn't be too happy with a mob of girls standing on his doorstep." He chuckled.

"You say that as if you know the guy." Sharpay laughed softly.

Will cleared his throat, smiling softly as he tossed the basketball to Gabriella.

"You know him!" Sharpay screeched.

"My lips are ceiled." He smiled, chuckling as Sharpay looked at him in awe.

About a half hour later, Charlie's car pulled up to the house, parking in the street since the driveway was currently occupied. He pulled out his basketball bag from the back seat and slung it over his shoulder with ease, slamming the door shut before he made his way towards the driveway.

"How was practice?" Gabriella asked her brother as he came closer.

"It was okay." He said with a sigh, his eyes gave it away that he was extremely worn out. Sweat was still clear on his body and he slowly made his way up the driveway.

"You look worn out, dude." Will pointed out with a nod.

"I am." Charlie nodded. "I'd stay and talk, but I need to take a shower." He replied politely.

"I understand." Will answered, making another basket. "Nice talking to you." He smiled.

Charlie nodded, glancing at Gabriella before he disappeared into the house. Soon after, Troy's car came to a slow halt in front of the driveway. He rolled down the window, looking at his friends.

"Dude! Want to give me a ride?" Will asked as he saw his friend.

"Sure." Troy said with a smile. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Getting to know the girls you and your friends are crazy about!" He replied with a laugh, seeing Troy roll his eyes. "Thanks for the game, girls." He said before he made his way towards Troy's car.

"No problem." Gabriella said, squinting as the sun shinned in her eyes.

"I'll see you soon!" Will said with a wave as he closed the car door behind him.

"Bye!" The girls said together with a laugh.

Watching the car drive away, Gabriella smiled as the car slowed at the corner and the tail lights flashed quickly before it went any further. She turned to face her friends with a happy smile on her face and they smirked as they watched her.

***

Taylor climbed out of her car later that day, with a brown bag and two plastic spoons in her hand. She was at Chad's house and she smiled as she saw him sitting on the swinging chair on the porch, waiting for her, just like he did everyday since the day she kissed him on the cheek. It was dark out and the stars and moon shinned brightly, giving Taylor the light she needed to make her way to the porch. She saw Chad's mom walk past the door as she read a book intently and she smiled as she neared Chad.

"I brought some ice cream, but we have to eat it fast before it melts." She smiled as she sat down next to Chad.

"My favorite." He smiled as she took the small cartoon of ice cream out of the bag, revealing the cookie dough ice cream.

"I figured you were a cookie dough person." She smiled, as she scooped some ice cream onto her spoon as Chad did.

His arm was placed securely around her as she leaned into him and they remained quiet as they kept their eyes on the stars and ate the carton of ice cream. Setting the carton on the ground once they were finished, Taylor laid her head on Chad's shoulder and smiled softly as she thought.

"Did you really make Sharpay walk home?" She asked him with a laugh.

"She was asking too many questions." Chad explained to her. "I couldn't take it after the fifteenth unanswerable question, so I pulled over and told her to get out."

"Maybe she'll learn her lesson." Taylor said with a shrug, smiling as she thought of her friend.

"Maybe." Chad sighed, rubbing his thumb over Taylor's palm.

"Do you think Gabriella and Troy are falling for each other, Chad?" Taylor asked, wondering out loud.

"Why?" Chad asked with a smile.

"I don't know… do you remember when we were at Troy's house and Gabriella fell off of the counter?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah and Troy nearly had a heart attack." He chuckled.

Taylor laughed softly and nodded.

"I asked Gabriella if she was in love with Troy." Taylor told him. "I asked after I caught Troy looking at her as if she was more than his best friend."

"I personally think that they were in love with each other long before they even saw each other and when they were miraculously united, those feelings just got stronger." Chad answered, sighing softly. "I bet they're not admitting it to any of us because they're afraid that the other one doesn't feel the same."

"But they both love each other! It's so obvious! I don't understand how they can't see that." Taylor said as she lifted her head away from Chad's shoulder and looked at him, somewhat upset that her best friend wasn't getting the guy she deserved.

"What can we do, Tay? It's their relationship, you know? They have to figure it out for themselves." Chad replied, shrugging. "I just hope everything is okay once they realize it."

"What do you mean? You don't think it could turn out badly, do you?" Taylor asked him in concern. "What could possibly happen?"

"I don't know, Tay, I really don't know." Chad answered.

Taylor blinked slowly, observing Chad's facial expressions.

"You're so serious." She pointed out with a smile as she tucked her legs underneath her, sitting sideways so that she could see Chad clearly.

"That's your doing." Chad said with an eye roll. "I'm always so freaking serious around you."

"I kind of like it." Taylor said with a smile, laughing softly as Chad looked over at her with a shake of his head.

"I bet you do." Chad said sarcastically with a smirk.

"Gabriella asked me what was going on between you and me today." Taylor told him, changing the subject to their own relationship.

"What'd you say?" Chad asked her as he looked over at her.

Taylor shrugged, not sure if Chad would get upset if she told him the truth.

"I told her that you were a friend." Taylor told him, holding her breath as she waited for him to reply.

"A friend?" Chad asked, his expression not changing.

Taylor nodded, watching as Chad nodded slowly, looking out at the road in front of his house.

"Are you mad…? I didn't know what to say." Taylor explained.

"No, I'm not mad." Chad said, a smile forming on his face. "That's what I said when Troy asked."

Taylor laughed softly, relieved.

"I think we're pulling a 'Troyella'." Chad said putting emphasis on the word Troyella.

"A what?" Taylor asked with a laugh.

"We're saying we're only friends when we really aren't." Chad explained.

Taylor nodded, agreeing with him.

"What are we going to do about that?" Taylor asked him.

Chad smiled, leaning towards her so that their lips were only centimeters apart.

"I guess I'm going to have to email you." He smirked, getting a smack on the arm from Taylor before she pressed her lips to his, deepening the kiss as Chad pulled her closer to him.

* * *

**A filler! Like it? Review!**

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**unknownbyhim22**


	16. BrotherSister moment

**Hey everyone! How did everyone's week go? Mine went by pretty fast, if I say so myself. :) The reviews were amazing as always and I hope that soon you'll be getting what you all want. ;) The drama is just about to begin. Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter sixteen

Brother-Sister Moment

Gabriella was sitting at her kitchen table a few days later when Charlie walked in, dressed in his basketball clothes, ready for practice that was starting in about an hour. Gabriella rolled her eyes as he took a swig of orange juice right from the carton and she pushed the glass of orange juice that she had poured for herself aside. Charlie sat in front of her with a bowl of cereal and he barely glanced at her as he shoveled the frosted flakes into his mouth.

"So have you seen Troy around lately?" Gabriella asked him as she speared a piece of fruit with her fork.

"Um, yeah, like everyday at practice." Charlie answered as he looked up at his sister. "Why?"

Gabriella was somewhat surprised that Charlie was taking the slightest amount of interest in her question. She shrugged and put the fruit in her mouth.

"I haven't talked to him in a while." She explained to him.

"You mean in like three hours?" Charlie said as he rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm serious Charlie; I haven't talked to him in like three days." Gabriella told him, the worry in her voice somewhat recognizable.

"What?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"He hasn't emailed me." Gabriella explained.

"Call him or go over to his house, Gabriella. Maybe his email isn't working." Charlie told his sister as he got up, finished with his cereal.

"I went over to his house yesterday and the guys weren't home." Gabriella explained as she got up as well and took her plate towards the sink. "And he never answers his phone.

"Well, he's not dead." Charlie told her. "So he must be busy."

"Thanks for that, Charlie." Gabriella said with a shake of her head.

"No problem." Charlie said with a smile. "I'll see you later, sis." He said, leaving the kitchen and heading towards the front door where he grabbed his basketball bag and left the house.

Gabriella loaded the dishwasher with the dishes that had accumulated on the counter over the past couple of days and then she made her way towards her room, expecting a call from Sharpay. Her phone rang about twenty minutes after she got into her room and she smiled as she answered it, hearing Sharpay's happy voice.

"Hey, Gabs!" Sharpay said excitedly.

"Hey, Shar, how are you?" She asked with a smile as she put laundry away in her dresser drawers

"I'm good! I just got the okay from my parents and they said that everyone can come over tonight, so if you want to come, you're welcome to." She told her.

"Yeah, sure, I'll be there. I might be late though because I have to pick up a few things today and I have a feeling it's going to take forever." She explained to Sharpay.

"No problem, but don't take too long. The fun doesn't start until you get there." Sharpay said.

"I'm sure you're just saying that." Gabriella laughed softly.

"I so am not." Sharpay laughed. "Hey, so do you know how long Will is going to be here for?" She asked her.

"No, why?" Gabriella asked her, finishing putting her clothes away.

"Well, I haven't seen Zeke much and every time I talk to him, he has to hang up after like twenty minutes to hang with Will. I know I'm being selfish, but I miss him." Sharpay vented to her friend.

"You're not being selfish, Shar." Gabriella assured her friend. "I wish I could tell you how much longer he's going to be here for, but I haven't seen or talked to Troy in three days." Gabriella told her.

"Gabi! Three days?! And I thought I was being deprived of conversation!" Sharpay said quickly. "Are you okay?" She asked her.

Gabriella laughed softly at her worried friend as she started to one-handedly make her bed.

"Yeah, just a bit lonely. I'm starting to really hate my empty house. I know how crazy this is going to sound, but I'm usually disappointed when Charlie has practice." Gabriella admitted.

"I never thought I'd hear that!" Sharpay said with a laugh.

"I never thought I'd say it." Gabriella smiled as she fluffed her pillows, arranging them on her bed carefully.

"I promise I won't tell Charlie that you secretly miss him." Sharpay laughed. "But only if you promise not to spill that I'm secretly getting really ticked off."

"I promise." Gabriella smiled as she put a few random items in the right places around her room.

"Okay, well, I'll see you tonight. I have some shopping to do." Sharpay said.

"Okay, bye, Shar."

"Tootles!" Sharpay sang happily, hanging up.

Gabriella laughed quietly and hung up her phone, setting it on her nightstand as she went over to her balcony doors to open them, wanting to get some fresh air in her room. She heard her phone ring as she opened the doors and walked quickly over to it, jumping on her bed and lying down before she answered it.

"Hello?" She asked, smiling because Troy was the caller.

"Oh, hey! I'm sorry; I didn't mean to call you." He said in a happy tone.

Gabriella's smile faded immediately and she sighed.

"Oh, that's okay." She replied. "I guess I'll let you go." She said.

"Okay, bye, Gabriella." He said as he hung up.

Gabriella hung up her phone and dropped her head onto her bed, letting her arms fall over the side to dangle limply as she screamed into her mattress. She got up after laying there for five minutes, a few curse words floating through her mind. She headed downstairs, ready to tackle the mess that was somehow going to eat them alive if they weren't careful while walking.

Charlie made his way towards his room, noticing that the house was extremely clean. He saw Gabriella lying tiredly on her bed, starring at the ceiling as he passed. Stopping abruptly at his room, Charlie's eyes widened slightly.

"GABRIELLA! Why is my room clean?" He shouted from the doorway.

"It was disgusting and I was bored." She called back tiredly.

Charlie made his way towards Gabriella's room and stood somewhat upset in her doorway.

"Where's all of my stuff?" He asked.

"It's called a _closet_." Gabriella said as she emphasized the word closet.

"Don't touch my stuff ever again, Gabriella." He warned her.

"It's not like you had anything of value in there." She said with an eye roll.

"Says you." He replied as he started to make his way back to his room.

"Okay, fine, I will never touch your Play Boy magazines ever again, you pig!" She called after him with a small laugh.

"Okay and I will never touch your dream journal again, Mrs. Bolton!" He said.

Gabriella's eyes widened and she immediately looked in her nightstand drawer, seeing her dream journal missing. Screaming, she ran towards Charlie's door which was closed and lock. She pounded on it, screaming frantically. Her journal was where she explained the dreams that she had while she was sleeping in and some of them were beyond embarrassing.

"CHARLIE, GIVE IT BACK!" She kicked the door harshly, swearing as her foot throbbed from the impact.

"YOU BETTER NOT BE SHARING THAT INFORMATION! IT'S PRIVATE!" She screeched as she hit the door once again, sliding down to the floor, winded. "I hate you!" She shouted.

"Okay, Mrs. Bolton!" Charlie called back, obviously laughing.

"I never wrote anything about that!" She defended herself, frowning obviously.

"May 5th." Charlie read. "I had this weird dream that Troy and I got married… Charlie walked me down the isle and it was beyond awkward!" He said in a girly voice.

"Charlie! Stop it! I'm going shopping! When you decide not to be an ass, I'll talk to you again." She said angrily as she stood up.

"June 15th!" Charlie called after her.

"Shut up!" She screeched.

"July 4th!"

"I'm not listening!" She called after him.

"August first! A.K.A yesterday!"

Gabriella screamed as she slammed the front door closed, as she marched angrily to her car. She took a few deep breaths as she sat in the driver's seat and closed her eyes to calm herself down before she made her way towards the grocery store.

***

Everyone was at Sharpay's house, everyone except Gabriella that is. They were sitting around the pool, the night sky darkening as the pool lights changed colors. Chad and Taylor were sitting by the pool, their feet dangling in the water as Taylor held onto Chad's arm securely. Zeke and Sharpay were talking to Troy and Will and Sharpay laughed loudly as Will made a joke about Zeke's baking abilities. Charlie was sitting on the diving board, texting on his phone, bored that everyone was paired up and although he wouldn't admit it, he was waiting for his sister to get there so he'd have someone to talk to and or annoy.

Troy's cell phone rang and he answered it, half listening to what Will was talking about.

"Troy, honey, its Mom. I need you and one of the boys to come home for a minute. I'm rearranging the furniture in the family room and your father nearly pulled his back out trying to help." She explained.

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute." Troy said with a nod, hanging up.

"Where are you going?" Will asked, hearing Troy's conversation.

"_We're_ going home real quick to help my mom move furniture." Troy answered.

"Sweet." Will said with a smile.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Zeke asked, hearing a dramatic sigh come from Sharpay.

"Nah, hang with Shar for a while." Troy said. "We can handle it." He said, nodding as Sharpay smiled at him thankfully.

"Alright, man, come back." Zeke said with a smile.

"We will." Troy said with a laugh, heading towards the back doors of Sharpay's house.

Gabriella rushed towards the pool area, knowing that she was later than usual. She opened the back door quickly and smiled when she saw Troy and Will coming towards her. Troy smiled, noticing that Gabriella was somewhat dressed up tonight.

"Hey." She smiled. "Where are you going?" She asked when she noticed that they were leaving.

"Home." Troy replied. "My mom needs us to move furniture."

Gabriella's smile faltered slightly as she nodded, wishing that she could have gotten there earlier so that she could catch up with Troy.

"You're looking nice today, Gabriella." Will noted, smiling at her.

"Thanks." She smiled lightly, walking away towards her friends.

"Hey, Gabs." Sharpay smiled as Gabriella came towards her.

Gabriella feigned a smile as she sighed.

"He said he was coming back, Gabs." Sharpay said with a nod, noticing the somewhat sad look on her face.

"I know." Gabriella nodded, shrugging lightly as she looked around the pool area, smiling as she saw Taylor wave at her.

Walking away when Zeke and Sharpay exchanged a look, Gabriella walked towards Charlie. She stood at the edge of the pool, taking her shoes off as she walked towards the diving board.

"I still hate you." She said as she walked on the diving board, sitting down next to him, feeling a shiver run through her body as her toe touched the water.

"What took you so long, Mrs. Bolton?" He asked in a serious tone.

"Please don't call me that, Charlie." She said with a sigh.

"Okay, but seriously, what took you so long?" He asked with a smirk.

"Well, we had no food in the house so it took me forever to grocery shop and then I had to take a shower and look somewhat presentable before I came here." She explained to her brother.

"For Mr. Bolton?" He asked with a laugh.

"Do you want to get pushed into the pool?" Gabriella asked as she shook her head.

"Sorry." Charlie sighed. "I put your dream journal back in your drawer. I actually didn't read it. I just thought I'd torture you." He explained.

"Well, thanks for that." Gabriella said sarcastically.

"I think there's something up with Troy." Charlie pointed out as he tossed the ice in his plastic cup into the pool.

"You've noticed." Gabriella sighed. "I don't know, like you said, he must be busy."

"I just don't like that you're getting all sad about it." Charlie admitted to her as he glanced at her.

Gabriella laughed, shaking her head.

"I am not sad." Gabriella laughed.

Charlie raised an eyebrow, looking seriously at his sister.

"Seriously, I'm not." She told him, her face becoming serious.

"Yet." Charlie replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gabriella asked, honestly not knowing what her brother was referring to.

"Well, you obviously have feelings for him." Charlie pointed out.

"I do not." Gabriella said in awe.

"Come on, Gabs, you're not good at hiding it." Charlie told her.

"Well, so what if I have the slightest feelings for him… what's wrong with that, Charlie?" She asked him, surprised that Charlie, of all people, was the first person she somewhat admitted her feelings for Troy to.

Charlie scratched the back of his neck, sighing softly as he shrugged.

"I don't know if he feels the same way, Gabs." He said quietly.

Gabriella's heartbeat quickened as she looked up at him and then back at the pool water. Of all the mean and brotherly things Charlie had ever thrown at her or told her, like the summer before when he told her she was flabby, which resulted in her flat stomach this summer, and the time he told her to f-off when he broke up with his last girlfriend, this answer hurt her more than anything she'd ever heard from him. She felt his arm around her, pulling her closer to him when she didn't say anything and she shrugged his arm off of her, standing up.

"Gabs…" Charlie started.

"Don't worry about me, Charlie. Thanks for telling me, okay?" She said with a nod, trying to smile. "I love you." She told him.

"I love you too, Gabs." He said sadly, wishing that he could have kept his mouth shut for once.

Gabriella walked carefully off of the diving board, slipping her shoes on when she got to them and she walked along side the pool, stopping when Sharpay walked towards her.

"Did you and Charlie just have a brother-sister moment?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I guess." Gabriella said with a shrug, swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat.

"You okay?" Sharpay asked when she noticed her friends slight frown.

"Yeah." Gabriella nodded. "I think I'm going to head home though. I'm not feeling very good." She explained.

"Okay, feel better." Sharpay said hugging her softly.

"I will. Don't worry." Gabriella answered.

Gabriella walked quickly towards the back door of Sharpay's house, sad that the brand new sun dress she was wearing was only seen by Troy for about twenty seconds and she looked behind her, noticing Charlie watching her from his spot of the diving board and when she got into the house, she ran as fast as she could down the long hallway of the Evans' house, opening the large front door with ease, and got to her car as fast as she could.

Troy and Will were in Troy's car, driving back to Sharpay's house after rearranging the furniture for Mrs. Bolton over three times. The radio was playing softly and both Troy and Will's windows were open, letting the cool air in.

"So, Tammy called me last night and said she was wishing that she could see you and Zeke again." Will said as he bobbed his head to the music.

"It would be great to see Tammy again." Troy smiled. "I still can't believe you two are getting married." Troy told him.

"I'm excited." Will smiled brightly. "Do you think you'd come back to California?" He asked.

"It's not like I'm never coming back." Troy explained. "Maybe for spring break or something I'll visit everyone."

"What about like permanently?" Will asked. "Everyone misses you and Zeke. It's not the same without you."

"I don't know, man. If my dad ever gets transferred there, I'd obviously go, but I don't think my mom could handle me leaving for California." He laughed softly. "It probably wouldn't be a reasonable thing to do."

"Well, just know that you're welcome to visit. You can stay at my place if you don't want to bunk with your grandparents." He replied.

"Thanks man, I'll keep that in mind." Troy nodded. "I definitely crave being right next to the ocean."

"So do I!" Will exclaimed, laughing because it had only been a few days since he got to Albuquerque.

Troy and Will made their way back towards the pool once they parked on the Evan's large driveway. Laughing, as they approached their friends, Troy and Will both noticed that Gabriella was no longer there.

"Where's Gabriella?" Troy asked Charlie who was impatiently holding his phone to his ear.

"She wasn't feeling good so she went home… I'm going to go see if she's okay." He told him, hanging up his phone, and sticking it in his pocket.

"She looked fine when I saw her." Troy said to Charlie.

"She was busy all day so it must have caught up with her. I'm sure she's fine." Charlie nodded, backing up slowly.

"Tell her I hope she feels better." Troy said with a worried expression on his face.

"Maybe you should email her or something…it might make her feel better." Charlie suggested with a shrug.

"I will." Troy nodded.

"Talk to you later, man." Charlie said as he turned to leave.

Taylor leaned towards Sharpay and raised her eyebrows.

"And I thought Charlie didn't care about Gabriella." She whispered to Sharpay in surprise.

"Apparently he does." Sharpay whispered back, surprised as well.

Charlie sprinted up the stairs when he got into his house and he slowed when he saw the light coming from Gabriella's room, knowing that she was in there. He walked into her room, noticing that she was lying on her bed, her outfit she had on before was still on.

"Gabriella." He said, tapping her gently on her arm.

"What?" She whispered, keeping her eyes closed.

"Why didn't you answer your phone? I was trying to call you." He asked, trying to sound like he hadn't just run from his car to her room.

"Did you run here or something? You sound tired." Gabriella pointed out, keeping her back to him.

"I power walked." Charlie replied, shrugging.

Gabriella shook her head, knowing he was lying.

"You didn't have to come home. You could have stayed there." She told him, sighing softly.

"It wasn't that entertaining with out you there and plus, Troy and Will were there just before I left, I didn't feel like talking to them." He replied.

Gabriella turned around to face him, sighing as she saw him standing next to her bed.

"You don't have to ignore them." She said in annoyance.

Charlie noticed that Gabriella's eyes were red and her face was somewhat pale.

"Were you crying?" He asked her.

"No." She answered, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Liar." He said to her, rolling his eyes.

"I wasn't crying, Charlie. I don't cry over stupid things like boys." She explained angrily.

"Whatever you say, sis. Do you need anything?" He asked.

"Since when have you been nice to me?" She asked him with a small smile.

"Since I made you cry." He answered, walking towards the door.

"You didn't make me cry." Gabriella said in annoyance.

"Okay." Charlie said sarcastically.

Gabriella sighed, grabbing a stuffed animal and holding it close to her chest. She ignored the fact that her heart was beating extremely fast as she reached over to her nightstand and turned her lamp off, turning on her side to go to sleep. She hoped and prayed, as she closed her eyes, that she wouldn't have the "I-now-pronounce-you-Mr.-and-Mrs.-Bolton" dream again.

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	17. He Better Be Sorry

**Hey everyone! Thanks again for all of the great reviews... you all had mixed emotions about it... and I'm pretty sure most of you have secret crushes on Charlie. :) We'll see what Troy is up to in this chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter seventeen

He Better be Sorry

Gabriella was in a much better mode today then she was a few days earlier. Although she only got one email from Troy since then, it was much better than none and she was happy about it. She tied her tennis shoes as she sat at the end of the stairs, making sure they were tight before she went on a jog. Opening the front door, and yelling to tell Charlie that she was leaving, Gabriella made her way towards the sidewalk, stretching quickly before she started running.

When she got closer to Troy's house she sighed, wondering if he was okay and that their friendship wasn't suffering because of the time spent away from each other. Her heart pounded when she saw him playing basketball on his driveway and she slowed slightly to watch him. Turning as the basketball slipped from his hands and down the driveway, Troy spotted Gabriella and he waved at her, causing her to stop, standing across the street. He jogged towards the basketball, picking it up and tucking it under his arm as he walked towards her.

"Hey." He smiled as he made his way over to her.

"Hi." She said awkwardly, waving slightly.

"How are you? It feels like I haven't seen you in a while." He asked.

"I'm good." She nodded, shrugging. "Everyone is coming over today if you want to come over you can. I emailed you about it, but… you know."

"Oh, yeah, I'd love to come over. I haven't been on the computer in a while. Sorry about that." He said with a small smile.

"It's okay." She nodded. "Umm… I'd love to stay and talk, but I have a jog to finish." She said honestly.

"Okay, have fun." He smiled. "I'll see you tonight."

Gabriella nodded, walking first as he made his way up his driveway and then she started running, picking up her pace as she became slightly aggravated. Gabriella ran faster than she wanted to, deciding half way into her jog that she needed to get home so that she would have time to pick out the perfect outfit.

By the time Gabriella was done with her jog, her shower, and putting her makeup on, there was about two more hours until everyone would be coming. The doorbell rang and then the door opened, letting the chatting of Sharpay and Taylor be heard as they made their way up the stairs towards Gabriella's room.

"Hey!" Sharpay and Taylor said together as they came into Gabriella's room.

"Are you excited?" Sharpay asked with a smile, clearly excited.

"About what?" Taylor asked her with an eye roll. "We do this all of the time."

"Well, I don't know… I just feel like today is going to be great!" She explained.

"Okay Sharpay." Gabriella laughed softly.

"You look nice." Taylor told Gabriella as she walked out of her bathroom, humming softly.

"Thanks." Gabriella smiled. "I need help figuring out what to wear though."

"Thankfully we're here!" Sharpay said, walking towards Gabriella's closet to examine her clothing options.

"Perfect!" Taylor and Sharpay agreed together as Gabriella stood before them in her final outfit.

She had on a black dress that was casual, but made a statement. She smiled, twirling to show off her outfit. The two hours before anyone was supposed to show up had collapsed and as the girls admired Gabriella's outfit, the doorbell rang, indicating that someone was obviously there. They smiled, rushing towards the stairs, smiling when they saw Charlie letting Chad in.

"Looking good, girls." He smiled when he saw them, winking at Taylor.

"Not too bad yourself." Sharpay pointed out, smiling as the girls reached the end of the stairs.

"Thanks Sharpay." He said sarcastically, noticing the way Sharpay looked at him as if his outfit could have been better.

"Don't worry about her." Taylor said with a smile as the group made their way into the family room, linking her arm with his. "I think you look great."

"Thank you." He smiled, leaning towards her ear. "And I think you look beautiful." He whispered, kissing her ear with a small chuckle.

She smiled, rolling her eyes as Sharpay sent her a "SO CUTE" look as she sat down on the couch. Bringing in the groups usual drinks (water and iced tea), Gabriella smiled as she sat down on the couch with her friends, tucking her legs underneath her as she realized the other late members of the group. Sharpay looked at her sparkling pink watch, raising her eyebrows as she saw that Zeke was late and she sent Gabriella an annoyed look. Hearing the doorbell ring, Charlie got up to answer it, coming back a few seconds later with Zeke walking with him. Sharpay held up her wrist that had her watch tightly secured to it and showed it to Zeke as he sat down next to her, kissing her softly, smiling at his annoyed girlfriend.

"You're late." She pointed out. "I hate when people are late."

"Chill, Shar, I'm here now." Zeke said with a small smile.

"Where's Troy?" Sharpay asked him, taking the opportunity to ask as Gabriella went into the kitchen.

"He's going to be way late." Zeke explained to her, watching her frown. "He was having a serious conversation with Will about something."

"What was it about?" Sharpay asked curiously.

"Not sure." Zeke told her with a shrug.

"Well, shouldn't you know? I mean, you live with them." Sharpay asked.

"That doesn't mean that they tell me everything." Zeke replied, shrugging.

"When is he leaving?" Sharpay asked with a sigh, whining slightly.

"What? Do you not like my good friend Will?" Zeke asked as if he was hurt by her comment, but he laughed softly, indicating that he knew what she meant by the question.

"He's a nice guy, Zeke, but I feel like he's causing more problems then he's solving." She answered, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

"What do you mean?" Zeke asked her.

Sharpay nodded towards Gabriella as she came back into the room, smiling softly as she sat back down on the couch.

"She's secretly pissed. I can tell." Sharpay told him, sighing.

"Maybe pissed isn't the word to use." Zeke said as he watched Gabriella laugh with Taylor about something. "Maybe she's just lonely."

"Either one sucks." Sharpay answered. "Where is he?" She asked in annoyance, looking at her watch.

"It's as if you're more excited to see him than you are me." Zeke joked, nudging her softly, making her laugh quietly.

"Never." She smiled.

A half hour later, Troy and Will appeared in the family room, not bothering to ring the door bell, and they were talking about something as they came in, stopping when they realized that the group was watching them.

"Hey, guys. Sorry that we're late." Troy said with a smile.

"Yeah, it was my fault." Will told them, sitting on the arm rest of the couch, nearest to Sharpay as Troy walked over towards Gabriella, sitting next to her.

Charlie, Taylor, and Chad went on with their conversation that they were having before Troy and Will got there, leaving Will to start up a conversation with Sharpay and Zeke while Troy and Gabriella talked.

"You smell good." Gabriella pointed out to Troy as he put his arm across the back of the couch.

"Thanks, so do you." He smiled, inhaling her scent, making her laugh lightly.

"So what have you been up to, Wildcat?" She asked him with a smile. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know, it's been crazy." Troy agreed, nodding. "I've been hanging out with Will. He's leaving soon." He added.

"I hope he had fun here." Gabriella said honestly, looking up at Troy who was smiling at her. "And that you're not missing California too much now." She nodded.

"I'm pretty sure he is having fun. He's been dying though being away from the ocean." Troy explained with a laugh. "You can take the boy out of the ocean, but you can't take the ocean…"

"Out of the boy." Gabriella nodded, remembering Troy saying something similar before.

"It's what my mom always says." Troy laughed.

Gabriella smiled as Troy's familiar laugh was heard and she leaned her head against his arm, giggling as he pulled her closer to him. Charlie looked over at Gabriella, winking at her as she caught his gaze and she rolled her eyes as she listened to Troy's heartbeat against her ear.

"So man," Chad started, directing his question to Will. "How much longer do you have here?" He asked, making Sharpay smirk softly.

"Three days. Maybe less." He said as he glanced at Troy.

Gabriella furrowed her brow when Troy's heartbeat quickened slightly and she sat up slowly as Troy nodded at Will who was giving him a secretive look. Sharpay glanced at Zeke who scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and Taylor sighed, sensing something was wrong.

"I actually have to tell you something." Troy said to the group, glancing at Gabriella.

Gabriella nodded slowly, feeling her heart pound inside of her as the group looked from Troy to Gabriella. The room was still, the air seemed to thicken as Gabriella inhaled and Charlie rolled his eyes.

"I'm going with him." Troy said slowly after a few seconds of silence.

The group stayed quiet, confused.

"Like on a vacation?" Taylor asked him as her eyes became darker.

Troy shook his head, hearing Sharpay gasp.

"I'm moving back. I'm staying at my grandparent's house and I'm leaving when Will does." Troy explained to them.

"What?!" Sharpay shrieked, looking over at Zeke in anger. "You're just leaving? Like that?!" She asked.

"I've thought a lot about it, Sharpay. I just…" He was cut off by Sharpay as she stood up, holding her hand up to stop him.

"Thought a lot about it, my ass!" She said as she glared at him, looking over at Gabriella who wasn't reacting at all. "Why aren't you doing anything, Gabs?" She asked.

"I… um… don't know." Gabriella said as she looked over at Troy, seeing the sorrow in his eyes. "I can't say that I'm surprised." She explained.

"What?" Sharpay asked in sadness. "I… can't…" She looked over at Zeke who was sitting as if it was his fault and before any of them could guess it, she started to cry.

"Shar!" Taylor said in a worried tone, standing up as Sharpay turned and quickly left the room, running up the stairs to Gabriella's room.

Gabriella watched as Taylor followed after Sharpay and she stood up slowly, giving a secretive look to Will and then walked towards the stairs.

"Gabriella." Troy called after her.

She turned facing him as he stayed on the couch and looked at the boys left in the family room. She shook her head and sighed.

"My friends need me, Troy. I wouldn't expect you to understand." She said, leaving him with that thought as she raced quickly up to her room to find Sharpay sitting limply on her bed with Taylor trying to calm her down.

"What the heck, Shar! What's wrong?" She asked as she sat down on the bed.

"I love him." Sharpay said as she hiccupped, wiping at her tears.

"Troy? Wow, Shar, way to tell me." Gabriella said with a smirk.

"Shut up, Gabs." Sharpay whined as she shoved Gabriella lightly. "I was talking about Zeke."

"And you're crying because?" Gabriella asked her.

"He's going to leave." She answered, taking a deep breath that shook as she exhaled.

"No, Shar, he's not." Gabriella told him, moving a piece of Sharpay's hair out of her eyes.

"How do you know?" Sharpay asked as she took the tissue that Taylor offered her.

"Because he loves you too." Gabriella told her with a smile.

Taylor smiled softly and nodded as Sharpay looked at Gabriella and then at her in shock.

"But Troy loves you." Sharpay told Gabriella, making Taylor nod once again in agreement.

Gabriella's eyebrows creased in confusion, but she shook her head, sighing softly as she looked at her friends.

"No he doesn't." She said. "But this isn't about me, Shar. This is about you being upset right now."

"How can you say that?" Taylor asked Gabriella softly. "Your best friend is leaving you, Gabs. Sharpay is just being dramatic like always and we all know that she and Zeke will get married and have a whole bunch of mini Sharpay's and Zeke's running around."

The girls laughed at the thought, and Sharpay nodded as she agreed with Taylor.

"You're my best friends." Gabriella smiled. "It's going to be fine."

"No it's not." Taylor told her friend, voicing her opinion.

"You're going to sit and cry when he leaves and then you're going to blame yourself when he leaves, Gabs." Taylor told her.

"Do you see me crying, Tay?" Gabriella asked with a small smile. "Sharpay will do the crying for all of us." She joked as she gave Sharpay a quick side hug.

"Are you going to talk to Troy?" Sharpay asked her as she wiped away the last of her tears.

"Not right now. I have to let this sink in." Gabriella answered.

"So are we going to just sit up here and avoid the guys downstairs?" Taylor asked with a small laugh.

"I don't know." Gabriella sighed, smiling as Taylor's phone rang.

Taylor smiled when she saw that Chad was calling her and she answered the phone, laughing quietly.

"Hey, Chad."

"Hey, Tay. Are you all okay?" He asked.

"I don't know. Are you on speaker phone or something, letting the guys listen to this conversation?" She asked before she gave him any information.

"No, I'm going to the bathroom…okay, I'm technically not going, but I'm standing here, talking to you." He told her in somewhat of a whisper.

"We're okay, Chad." She answered him, laughing at this thoughtfulness.

"Are you coming back down?" He asked her.

"I think we're going to stay up here for a while." Taylor answered. "Is Troy still there?" She asked, watching Gabriella shift in her spot.

"Yeah, he's here." Chad answered. "He got in an argument with Zeke before I left to call you, so I don't think he'll be here much longer." He answered.

"What was the argument?" Taylor asked.

"I think the question is: who was the argument about." Chad told her with a sigh.

"Mmhh got it." She nodded.

"I'll let you girls bond, or whatever." Chad said with a chuckle.

"Thanks. Bye." She said with a smile, hanging up the phone as she looked at her two best friends in front of her. "They're still down there."

"Okay." Gabriella nodded slowly, smiling thankfully at her.

"So, I think it's safe to say that you're in love with Chad." Sharpay said with a smile, causing Taylor to whack her with a nearby pillow.

"Love gets people in trouble." Taylor said gesturing towards the two. "And breaks peoples' hearts."

Sharpay laughed as she fixed her hair that was out of place because of Taylor's need to hit her with a pillow. Gabriella nodded, agreeing with her somewhat. Later, after about a half hour, Taylor and Sharpay decided it was time to leave, going together to face the guys still in the family room. The guys were sitting quietly; staring at basically nothing as they waited, for what, the girls weren't sure. Chad smiled at Taylor and stood up when he saw them.

"We're leaving." Taylor said to him, knowing that he'd probably want to go with her to escape from the awkwardness.

Sharpay smiled at Zeke, watching as he breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he walked over to her.

"Yeah. Um… I'll explain in a minute. Do you want to go?" She asked him quietly.

"Sure." He nodded, glancing back at Troy, Will, and Charlie as he made his way out if the house with Sharpay.

"Let's go." Taylor said to Chad in a whisper.

He nodded, turning towards the guys.

"I'll talk to you guys later. I hope everything turns out okay." He said to Troy as he backed up slowly with Taylor.

"Thanks man." Troy said with a sigh.

Now that Troy, Will, and Charlie were suddenly alone in the Montez's family room it became awkward. Charlie sighed, sitting forward from his leaning position on the couch.

"I'm going in my room. You can stay if you want, but this event has definitely tired me out." Charlie said as he stood.

"Will you make sure Gabriella is okay?" Troy asked him as he started to leave.

"She's not, man." Charlie said without turning around. "And I'm not sure she'd going to be." He said, disappearing out of the family room.

"I think that's our invitation to leave." Will said to Troy with a sorry look on his face.

"I think you're right." Troy said with a nod, standing up and walking with Will out of the family room and towards the front door.

Gabriella walked out of her room after she heard Charlie's bedroom door close, assuming that everyone went home. She ran a hand through her hair, sighing as she walked towards the stairs to help herself to some ice cream in the kitchen and to watch reruns of Gilmore Girls for the rest of the day.

She took a few steps down the stairs and stopped suddenly when she saw Troy at the front door with Will. She held her breath, hoping and praying that her wouldn't look to the stairs, that he wouldn't see her, but of course he had to look at the stairs, wanting to see if he could get a glimpse of her upstairs at all, and to his surprise, there she was, standing frozen on the forth step of the stairs.

He opened his mouth to say something, but he knew better. She wouldn't talk to him in a moment like this and that is why he opened the front door and stepped out of the house, walking away, not waiting for Will. Will looked at Gabriella on the stairs and she was looking at him as if she was seeing him for the first time and he sighed as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Gabriella." He said.

She blinked as she heard him, nodding her head slightly as she turned away from him and went back up the stairs. He better be sorry, she thought as she went into her room. He better be sorry.

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**unknownbyhim22**


	18. Troyella

****

Hey everyone! Your reviews put a smile on my face as always and they made me laugh! Thanks for reading, guys! Enjoy!

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter eighteen

Troyella

Gabriella walked down out into her house the next day from her backyard, retiring from her star watching in the backyard and she rubbed her hands on her arms to warm herself up. The only light that she saw as she stepped into the kitchen was the TV Charlie was watching in the family room. She walked quietly towards the stairs, stopping when she saw Troy's basketball bag by the front door. She pressed her body up against the hallway wall and slowly and carefully stuck her head to the side to see if Troy was in the family room. He wasn't and she furrowed her brow as she stepped out of her hiding spot and looked at Charlie.

"Why is Troy's bag here?" She asked him.

"He stopped by to drop the bag off here. He needs me to take it to practice for him because he's not going to be home tonight and won't have time to pick it up at his house before practice." Charlie explained. "I told him you weren't home when he came."

"Oh." She nodded slowly. "Thanks."

"No problem." He said as he changed the channel to some kind of action film.

Gabriella walked out of the family room and towards the stairs, making her way up them. She stopped when she was halfway up and looked at Troy's bag behind her. She bit her lip, tiptoeing back down the stairs after a minute. She put her hand on her hip, debating with herself secretly before she squatted down and unzipped his bag. She grabbed his red East High t-shirt and zipped the bag shut, standing up and racing up the stairs before she could change her mind.

Carelessly ripping her tank top off, she pulled his t-shirt on, smiling as his scent was all that she could smell. She flicked her lights off in her room and wiggled underneath her covers as she got comfortable. She smiled softly, but slowly started to frown when she realized that she had to steal his shirt to feel close to him now. She sighed and felt the fabric between her fingers, staring at the ceiling before she fell asleep.

***

Zeke and Sharpay were in Sharpay's kitchen, getting out ingredients for a new recipe that Zeke had created with a secret assistant that he wouldn't let Sharpay know about no matter how long she spent begging him to tell him. He simply replied with "its top secret" and she would pout, but let it go after a while. They looked at the piece of paper in front of them, making sure they had everything.

"Okay, we have to perfect these." He told her.  
"They seem perfect to me." Sharpay said to Zeke with a smile.

"We won't know until we try them." Zeke replied. "Ready?" He asked as he picked up a measuring cup.

"Of course." She smiled.

Sitting on the counter, inhaling the scent of the baking cookies in the oven, Zeke and Sharpay sat quietly, looking out at Sharpay's pool from their spot by the kitchen sink. Zeke looked over at Sharpay who seemed to be thinking about something and he took her hand in his, smiling as Sharpay looked at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Are you sure you're not going back?" She asked quietly, still not convinced that he was going to be staying with the Bolton's even though Troy wouldn't be there.

"I'm sure." He said softly, moving a piece of her hair away from her face. "I'm staying with you." He smiled.

He leaned towards her, kissing her meaningfully, pulling her closer to him as they deepened the kiss. He smiled through the kiss, noticing how Sharpay tasted like the cookie dough that they made. They pulled apart when the oven timer went off and Zeke jumped off of the counter, pulling the cookie sheet out of the oven.

He picked a cookie off of the baking sheet after they cooled and broke it in half, giving Sharpay a half. She smiled as she bit into it and he watched her with a smile.

"Like it?" He asked.

"Yeah. They're really good." She nodded. "Your cookies keep getting better."

"I can't take all of the credit. My secret assistant basically made up the recipe."

"You're not going to tell me?" She asked him as she batted her eyelashes at him.

Zeke shook his head, laughing softly as he took another bit of the cookie.

"I know this is going to sound weird," Sharpay started as she swallowed. "But these cookies kind of remind me of Gabriella. She wears some kind of cranberry perfume and that's what these taste like." She told him.

Zeke smiled, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, you're right." He smirked as she looked over at him.

She shook her head, smiling subtly as she looked at the cookie and then back at Zeke.

"So when were you going to tell me Troy was in love with Gabriella?" She asked as she swallowed the last of her Gabriella cookie, loving that she figured the puzzle out.

Zeke smiled, scouting off of the counter before he could answer her.

***

Taylor dribbled the basketball that she had on the driveway at Chad's house, watching as he made a basket with a different basketball. She was tired and her eyes were heavy as the cool summer night air brushed against her. She and Chad were quiet as they made baskets, thinking about similar things. The dark sky was making it harder to see the basket even though the porch lights were on and Chad looked over at Taylor as he caught the basketball that was bouncing back to him in his hands.

"Are you tired?" He asked her when he saw her yawn.

"Yeah." Taylor admitted. "All of this worrying has worn me out." She said, eying Chad as he made his way over to her.

He tossed his basketball onto the grass and took Taylor's from her, tossing it next to his. Before she had a chance to guess what he was going to do next, Chad had her in his arms, carrying her towards the front door of his house.

"Chad! What are you doing?" She laughed as they stepped into his house.

"You said you were tired." He smiled, laughing as his mom eyed them from the family room.

"Hi, Gayle!" Taylor said as she waved to her before she and Chad disappeared up the stairs. "You're crazy." She told him as he walked down the hallway towards his room.

He chuckled as he kicked his door open, closing it behind him with Taylor still in his arms. He set her down gently on his bed and she laughed, watching as he lay down next to her.

"I'm tired too." He admitted, adjusting his head on his pillow.

Taylor smiled at him, scouting closer to him so that her head was sharing his pillow. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on her forehead softly.

"So, you're worried." He asked her in a whisper. "About Troy and Gabriella?"

"I don't want Gabriella to get hurt anymore than she already is." Taylor told him.

"She's tough, Tay." Chad assured her. "She doesn't get hurt easily."

"That was before Troy, Chad." Taylor replied. "What if Gabriella's heart gets broken and she cant handle it?"

"We'll have to wait and see, Tay. That's all we can do." He said, running his hand along her arm slowly.

Taylor nodded, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against his chest, inhaling his scent as he closed his eyes too, falling asleep slowly.

***

The guys walked into East High and Charlie handed Troy his bag when he saw him coming from the parking lot. They were laughing together as they walked into the gym and Troy smiled even though this was his last day with the basketball team. Walking into the locker room and making his way over to his locker, Troy hummed softly, setting his bag on the bench. He unzipped his bag and furrowed his brow when he saw that the shirt he put in it was missing.

"Hey, Charlie." He said to Charlie who was a few lockers down from him.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Where's my shirt?" He asked him.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked as he shoved his clothes in his locker, done changing.

"The shirt that I put in here is gone." He explained.

"Dude, do you think I took it?" Charlie asked with a laugh. "I have no idea where your shirt is." He said, pulling out an extra shirt from his locker. "You can wear one of mine."

"Thanks, man." Troy said as he caught the grey t-shirt that Charlie tossed him.

Charlie jogged out of the locker room, breathing a sigh of relief. He had gone into Gabriella's room that morning to tell her that he was leaving for practice and saw that she was sleeping in an East High basketball t-shirt that was not his. He figured she had taken it from Troy when they hung out or something, but now he knew that she had taken it from his bag last night and it made him feel extra sorry for his hurting sister.

***

To: GabriellaSWEETMontez(at)comcast(dot)net

Subject: This isn't the end of Troyella

From: TroyPROBolton(at)comcast(dot)net

Hey, Gabs. I know that what I told everyone the other day came out of no where and I'm sorry if you feel like I lied to you, but I was just trying to make sure that I wanted to go back to California before I told anyone. I didn't think I missed it as much as you knew I did, but seeing Will and talking about California made me finally realize it.

Sharpay came over to visit Zeke today and she wouldn't talk to me. I'm pretty sure she flicked me off, but I'll let it slide. I'm sure she was just fixing her manicure. Jk. I don't want to stop talking to you, Gabs. Nothing is going to change about us. It's going to be like old times now.

I'm leaving tomorrow. Charlie said that everyone is meeting at your house before Will and I go. I hope I'll get to see you before I go, Gabriella. I'm sorry that we haven't been talking as much as usual and I'm starting to forget what you look like since you've somewhat been avoiding me (I saw you outside when I dropped my bag off). We can't let this come between us.

Your Best Friend,

Troy Bolton

P.S. This isn't the end of Troyella (apparently that's the gang's nickname for us).

Gabriella kept her hand still on the mouse that had clicked on his email. She blinked furiously, breathing deeply and waving a hand in front of her eyes to stop the burning sensation that was currently occurring. She heard herself let out a whine and she tried to keep a steady breathing pattern, but she was already hyperventilating, pulling her knees to her chest as she leaned her head against them, just trying not to cry. Please, she thought to herself, don't let him get to you. Don't cry!

Gabriella heard a knocked on her door and then it opened, revealing Charlie with a handful of DVDs in his hand. She looked at him, holding her breath so he couldn't tell that she was almost reaching her breaking point. He smiled, being a typical guy and not noticing that anything was wrong in that moment.

"I rented some movies. I'll be in the family room if you want to watch them." He told her, leaving as she nodded.

Gabriella let out a long sigh and closed down her email, forgetting about the things Troy didn't want to happen and the things he did. She shook her head, trying to forget one major issue. She wanted to forget Troyella.

* * *

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**unknownbyhim22**


	19. Goodbye

**Hey everyone! I'm really excited because we have a COLD day over here! It's way below zero! Since mid-terms are next week, I don't know when I'll be updating again. So, Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter nineteen

Goodbye

Troy tossed his bags into the back of Will's truck the next day. He sighed as he looked around and went back inside, making sure he had everything. Zeke was sleeping on the family room couch, tired because he stayed up all night watching some kind of cook off. Will was taking a shower and Troy was now left with nothing else to do, considering he couldn't email Gabriella because she never emailed him back and he knew she probably wouldn't. Smelling a familiar recipe, Troy walked into his kitchen to find his mom cooking at the stove, humming softly to herself.

He tiptoed behind her, grabbing her arms, laughing as she jumped, being unaware of his presence. She turned around and swatted her son's arm, eyeing him in a mom-like annoyance.

"Troy, what did I tell you about sneaking up on me?" She asked as she let her heart rate settle as he leaned against the counter.

"I'm not allowed to sneak up on you because you'll have a heart attack." He said with a nod, sighing with a laugh.

"I think you're mistaking me for your father, Troy. This heart is flawless." She said with a smile, going back to the boiling spaghetti sauce on the stove.

"Speaking of hearts," Troy said as he dipped his finger into the sauce, tasting the perfection. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" He asked.  
"Well, I don't know how that has anything to do with hearts, but I don't think it's up to me to tell you if you are or not." She said to him, shrugging.

"But you're supposed to tell me these things, you're my mom." He said, looking at her desperately.

"Well, if you want great advice don't go to your mother, go to your friends. They're the ones who are going to be affected by this a lot more."

"Well, I know that you won't be missing me." He said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean." Mrs. Bolton said with a raise of her eyebrow.

"The thing is, mom, is that they'll all tell me to stay." Troy told her, sighing.

"Why?" She quizzed him. "What's making them want to convince you to stay when you want to leave for California? If this is making you happy, shouldn't you go?"

Troy nodded slowly, staring off into the kitchen in front of him. He turned to look at his mom who was watching him and he crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to lean against the counter.

"They want me to stay for Gabriella." Troy admitted to her.

Mrs. Bolton nodded as a smile appeared on her face.

"So this is where the hearts come in." She said to herself, continuing to smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Troy asked as he grinned, looking at his mom.

"You're in love with Gabriella, honey." She told him.

"Mom, I am not!" He protested, looking at her in disbelief. "That's so weird! I mean, she's my best friend. How is it possible to like your best friend?" He asked her.

"Well, considering she's not Zeke, I think it's pretty possible." She told him.

"I'm not." He said to her seriously.

Mrs. Bolton rolled her eyes at her stubborn son.

"Have you talked to her about it? Maybe she can tell you what she thinks about this." She asked him.

"Nah." Troy said with a shake of his head. "We haven't talked since I told everyone I was going back to California."

Mrs. Bolton sighed and shook her head, stirring the creamy sauce in the pot. Troy watched her as she stayed quiet and he cleared his throat after a minute or so.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

"You can't lose Gabriella, Troy." She said as she kept her eyes on the sauce.

"I won't, Mom." Troy told her as if it was simple as that.

"I hope you're right, sweetheart." She said as she sighed. "I really hope you are."

Troy creased his eyebrows together, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. Why was his mom so worried? It's not like a friendship as strong as his and Gabriella's could be destroyed. And that's what he thought as he left the kitchen. But his mom knew that he never considered that they might fall for each other and that was testing their relationship. It was determining if 'Troyella' would still exist after he left.

***

Gabriella threw on a black t-shirt after her shower and she quickly brushed out her hair, slapping on some hair gel to keep her curls from flattening. Her room was spotless as she made her way to her balcony windows. She had spent all morning cleaning up the house and now she was looking out at her front yard, seeing Sharpay, Chad, Charlie, and Taylor standing on the sidewalk, talking, about what or who, she didn't care. She was stalling, as if it wasn't obvious already, and she paced the width of her room quickly. She heard Sharpay's laugh and she stopped by the window once more.

Shit. They were here.

In the back of Will's car, sat two surfboards; an additional one that wasn't there when they first met him. Gabriella whimpered as she realized it was Troy's and she continued to pace the room, humming as she became nervous.

Sharpay smiled at Troy and Will as she stood next to Zeke who was now greeting her. Charlie glanced up at Gabriella's bedroom window and back at the group when he didn't see her. Taylor and Chad smiled at them as the group talked, savoring the few minutes they had left before Troy and Will had to leave to catch a plane. Troy faked a smile as they talked, wondering where Gabriella was and why she wouldn't want to say goodbye to him.

"Don't forget us." Taylor said with a smile as Will told them they only had five more minutes to stay.

"How could I?" He asked as he gave Taylor a hug, closing his eyes as she whispered to him.

"I'll take care of her, Troy." She said, separating from him as Sharpay stood carelessly on the sidewalk.

Troy looked over at Sharpay, smiling softly as she stared at him.

"You know, I am somewhat responsible for getting you and Zeke together. You can at least hug me for that." He said to her, watching as her pursed lips opened in response.

"Fine, but only for that reason." She said as she walked up to him, hugging him softly. "I hate you." She told him.

"Zeke, she's hitting on me." Troy told him as she glared at him.

"I bet she is." Zeke chuckled as she came back to his side.

Chad smiled at him as Troy looked over at him.

"I'll miss you, Dude." Chad said as he hugged Troy, his soft side showing as he became emotional.

"Are you crying?" Taylor whispered to him after he separated from Troy.

"No." He gulped, sniffling.

"I'll talk to you later, Troy." Zeke said as he hugged him, smiling at his best friend.

"Alright, man." Troy smiled. "Convince her that I'm not a complete ass." He said, gesturing towards Sharpay.

"I'll try." Zeke laughed, patting him on the arm.

Troy looked awkwardly at Charlie and waited for him to say something, but he only stuck out his hand to shake Troy's.

"It was nice getting to know you." Troy said with a nod, shaking his hand.

"You too." Charlie nodded.

The group turned towards the Montez's front door when they heard it open and to their surprise Gabriella was just stepping onto the porch, walking slowly over to them as if debating with herself if she was going to run back into the house. She kept her eyes on the cement and finally looked up when she realized she was standing between Sharpay and Taylor.

Troy tried not to notice, but being her best friend, he did. Her face was pale and the way she was having a hard time looking at him made his stomach hurt. He swallowed the lump in his throat, thinking of something to say.

"I don't know what to say." He told her, feeling his heart sink because when he heard her say that to him when they first met, she was so excited that she could barely stand, but now he was saying it and he was sad, he was weak.

"I guess we can just say goodbye." She replied. "To get it over with."

Troy nodded and noticed the tears falling from Taylor's eyes as she watched them. Chad was holding her hand securely and Zeke was rubbing Sharpay's back as she looked even madder compared to minutes before. Charlie looked down at the sidewalk, observing the rocks in between the cracks in the cement and Will sighed, stepping away from the group slightly.

"Bye." She said to him simply.

"Bye." He nodded, watching as she squirmed.

She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek, having nothing else to say. Troy rubbed the back of his neck, breathing in the summer air. Gabriella turned around, needing to go back inside and she stopped when she heard Troy.

"I'll email you." He said quietly.

She felt her lip trembling and she closed her eyes as she answered him.

"I'll try to reply." She said, hearing Taylor's soft gasp as she jogged towards the front door, forcefully pulling the door open and running up the stairs and into her room.

She watched from her balcony doors as Troy and Will walked to Will's car, and her waving friends, all experiencing different emotions. She put a hand over her mouth as she let out a soft cry and she slowly started to sink to the wood floor, the car with the two perfectly polished surfboards pulling away from her house. She started to cry as she lay on her floor, the sun beating down on her from the doors.

Troy's heart pounded as he sat in the passenger's seat. The car stopped at the stop sign at the corner and he looked in the side mirror, seeing Gabriella's balcony clearly in the reflection, only this time, she wasn't there waving goodbye to him. This time, she wasn't there at all.

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	20. Coping

**Hey everyone! All of the reviews are amazing! I can't believe that I got so many! Well, since mid-terms are this week I won't be updating again until Friday. So enjoy the chapter while it lasts! It's going to be a few days until you see the next one! And actually, there's only two more chapters left after this one! Enjoy!**

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter twenty

Coping

Charlie lay in his bed that night, staring at his ceiling as he listened to his sister sobbing in the room diagonal from him. He sighed, draping his arm over his eyes as he became worried. Her bedroom door was locked when he went after her when Troy left and she'd been in there since then crying her eyes out.

His sister didn't cry. That was one thing that you could basically count on. If you were at a funeral you'd sit by her because you knew she wouldn't be crying, causing a domino effect. She didn't cry in sad movies or when people disappointed her. But Charlie knew what caused her to crumble, to break apart so greatly that she'd cry for hours, so hard that she'd be sick in the morning.

She cried when she was left. By who, it didn't matter, but it was the one and only thing that got to her. He figured it was because she was left so many times by their parents that she felt as if she was forgotten about, too unimportant to make them stay and that killed him inside because he, her annoying, always finding trouble brother, was the only one who stayed with her. He thought he'd be the one to leave first for sure.

Charlie stood up from his bed and walked towards the dark hallway, crossing it to Gabriella's door. He turned the doorknob, breathing a sigh of relief when it opened and his heart broke when he saw his sister lying on the floor by her balcony, the stars in the sky shining behind her.

He walked over to her, kneeling down next to her as he picked her up with ease. She held onto him, crying against his chest as he walked her over to her bed and set her down. She kept her eyes closed, the tears streaming down her cheeks in a steady squiggle. He lay down next to her and she hugged him as she cried, her body shaking with each sob.

"You have to stop crying, Gabs." He whispered to her. "You're going to make yourself sick."

"He's gone." She cried as she opened her eyes slightly, closing them when it hurt to open them after having them closed for so long.

"I know." Charlie said as he watched her try to calm down.

"I hate him, Charlie." She said loudly. "I hate him so much." Her voice cracked as she talked to him.

"Its okay, Gabriella." He said to her. "You're allowed to hate the people who leave you." He explained.

"I never thought he'd leave me, Charlie." She admitted to him, wiping her tears away from her face. "I thought he'd be the one person to stay."

"I know." He whispered.

"I'm not supposed to be crying over him." She said as she painfully opened her eyes. "He's my best friend and I'm never going to see him again." She said as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

Charlie closed his eyes as he felt tears threaten to appear, wishing he could take the hurt away from his little sister. Gabriella took three deep breaths and looked at Charlie seriously.

"Charlie." She whispered, her voice shaking.

"Yeah?" He asked, opening his eyes.

"Are you going to leave me too?" She asked him, feeling vomit make its way up her throat, but she swallowed harshly, pushing it back to where it belonged.

"No." Charlie said strongly. "I'm never leaving you, sis." He said as he hugged her, feeling her body start to shake again as a new round of sobs started.

"I love you, Charlie." She told him sadly.

"I love you too, Gabs." He whispered. "Get some sleep, okay?"

He felt her nod and he closed his eyes too as he held his sister and her broken heart in his arms.

***

Gabriella looked at her computer screen, her East High sweatshirt baggy and soft around her body. Troy had sent her three emails since he got to California and each email ended with him saying that it was okay if she didn't email back.

She was staring at the picture on the background of her computer. It was of all of her friends, laughing hysterically as who ever took the picture made a joke. Troy was looking at Gabriella and Gabriella was holding onto his arm for support as the rest of her friends stood around them.

The door to her bedroom opened to reveal Taylor and Sharpay, smiling softly as they stepped in, Sharpay with a plate of cookies in her hand.

"Hey, Gabs. How are you?" Taylor asked her with a smile, watching as Gabriella stood and sat on her bed.

"I'm good." She told her.

She was technically telling the truth. She was amazing compared to the night before and now she was just trying to keep a smile on her face.

"You're one tough cookie." Sharpay told her. "No pun intended." She said, pointing to the cookies as she sat in the middle of the bed.

Gabriella laughed softly as she shrugged looking at her two friends before her.

"So…" She said quietly. "Anything new?" She asked.

"Nope."

"Nah."

Gabriella nodded, setting her hands in her lap as she listened to the silence.

"Did Zeke make those?" Gabriella asked as she eyed the cookies.

"Oh! Yeah, try one, they're really good." Sharpay said with a smile as she took off the plastic wrap, handing Taylor and Gabriella a cookie.

Gabriella took a bit of the new concoction that Zeke had created and she frowned slightly, tasting the cranberry flavored cookie. Taylor shot Sharpay an I-told-you-so look and Sharpay shrugged as looked back at Gabriella.

"What's wrong?" Sharpay asked Gabriella as her frown deepened.

Gabriella swallowed the bit of cookie that was in her mouth and looked at the rest of it in her hand, shrugging subtly.

"It tastes like me." She told them quietly as she ran her finger over the sugary top. "This is a Gabriella cookie." She added.

"I'm sorry." Sharpay said awkwardly. "I thought it was going to cheer you up." She explained.

"Oh, it's okay, Shar." Gabriella nodded slowly. "It's thoughtful… I guess."

"Chad wanted me to tell you a joke that he came up with the other day." Taylor told her pulling out her phone to read the joke she had saved in her phone. "I told him you'd think it was stupid, but he insisted that you'd like it."

"Okay." Gabriella giggled. "I'm sure it'll be funny."

"What did the grape say when it was smashed?" Taylor read.

"Oh God." Sharpay said with an eye roll.

"What?" Gabriella smiled.

"Nothing. He just let out a little wine." Taylor said, slapping her knee as she laughed.

"That's a good one." Gabriella laughed.

"I cracked up for like an hour after I heard that!" Taylor admitted as she laughed with Gabriella.

"How adorable." Sharpay said with a sigh, observing Gabriella's appearance as she laughed with Taylor.

"Shar, why are you staring at me?" Gabriella asked her with a laugh once she noticed that Sharpay was watching her.

"Oh… I'm not." She lied. "I don't know… you look different."

"No she doesn't." Taylor lied as she looked at Gabriella.

"I'm kind of tired, so I probably have bags under my eyes." Gabriella told them.

Sharpay nodded, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. That was rude of me." She replied with a sigh.

"It's okay." Gabriella shrugged, not thinking it was.

The girls laughed softly and Gabriella's bedroom door opened and Charlie came in with the phone in his hand, handing it to Gabriella.

"It's Mrs. Bolton." He said, exchanging a look with the girls quickly.

Sharpay looked at Taylor worriedly and they watched as Gabriella held the phone to her ear as Charlie left.

"Hello?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Mrs. Bolton exclaimed on the other end. "I was just wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight. Zeke and Mr. Bolton are having a guy's night and I'm not up for a dinner alone. You're the first person I thought of to ask." She explained.

Gabriella glanced up at her friends who were looking at her curiously. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and knew she'd have time to get ready, so there was no excuse to get out of it.

"Sure, Mrs. Bolton… Mariah… I'd love to have dinner with you." She said, nodding softly.

Gabriella hung up the phone a few seconds later and set the phone next to her.

"Mrs. Bolton called?" Taylor asked in surprise.

"Yeah." Gabriella said, somewhat confused herself.

"That's awkward." Sharpay pointed out, causing Taylor to glare at her.

Sharpay shrugged and Gabriella nodded, sighing as she looked at the phone sitting on her bed; the sound of her best friend's mom ringing in her ears. She leaned her elbows on her knees, thinking as her friends started up a conversation amongst themselves. This was definitely going to be weird.

***

Gabriella stood on the Bolton's front porch, feeling her heart beat still pounding after she saw Troy's basketball net on the driveway, unused and wondering when his owner was coming back. She was wondering the same thing. She sighed, that poor basketball net. The door opened, revealing a smiling Mrs. Bolton.

"You look lovely, Gabriella." She said as she hugged her in a motherly way, inviting her in.

"Thanks." Gabriella smiled, feeling her stomach twist and turn as she smelt the familiar scent of Troy's house.

"I hope this isn't too awkward for you, honey. I know that you don't know me too well." Mrs. Bolton said as they walked into the kitchen.

"It's okay, Mrs. Bolton." Smiling as Mrs. Bolton raised her eye brows at her. "Mariah." She corrected herself. "I feel like I've known you my whole life."

"Why don't you sit right here while I finish making dinner." Mrs. Bolton said as she pulled out a bar stool for Gabriella.

Gabriella smiled and sat down in the chair, watching Mrs. Bolton at the stove. She looked around the kitchen, seeing things that she hadn't when she was there last, like the pile of cook books on the counter… and Troy's shoes tossed carelessly by the back door. She sighed, smiling as Mrs. Bolton looked at her.

"Are your parents home yet?" Mrs. Bolton asked her.

"No." Gabriella shook her head. "They're not supposed to be back until school starts." She added.

"That's too bad." Mrs. Bolton replied. "I'm sure you miss them."

"I've gotten used to it, to be honest." She told her. "Unfortunately I'm not really close to my mom, so it's usually not a big deal."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Mrs. Bolton said to her, coming around to the chair next to her and setting two plates down, one for her and one for Gabriella.

"This looks great." Gabriella smiled.

"Thank you." Mrs. Bolton replied. "So, Gabriella Montez, what's new with you?" She asked.

Gabriella couldn't help but remember how Troy would always use her full name when he asked her a question and her heart beat quickened as she heard Mrs. Bolton's question.

"Nothing at all." She admitted.

"How are you holding up?" She asked her.

Gabriella didn't exactly know what she meant by that question. Was she referring to her abandonment by her parents, the disappearance of her best friend, a.k.a Mrs. Bolton's son?

"I'm okay." Gabriella told her, taking a bite of the creamy pasta in front of her.

Mrs. Bolton nodded, falling into the silence between them as she took a bite of the pasta. She wanted to bring up Troy, but she knew that Gabriella's heart would be fragile.

"Mariah," Gabriella started, looking at Mrs. Bolton after a few minutes had passed.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"How was Troy when he was leaving?" She asked, causing a small smile to appear on Mrs. Bolton's lips. "Was he happy?"

"I'm glad you asked." Mrs. Bolton said, watching as a smile appeared on Gabriella's sad face. "Yes, he was happy." She told him. "But he was unsure."

"What do you mean?" Gabriella asked.

"I'm not sure if he thought he was doing the right thing by leaving." Mrs. Bolton explained. "Let's just say, I was talking to him before he left and you came up in the conversation." She began, watching as Gabriella looked up from her pasta and at her as she spoke. "I'll spare you the details, but I think he was debating whether or not to leave you."

Gabriella nodded, letting the steam of the pasta hit her face.

"He didn't want to leave me?" Gabriella asked.

"Honey," Mrs. Bolton laughed softly. "Troy took his basketball, surfboard, and that beautiful picture of you on his dresser and left everything else he actually needed behind." She smiled when she heard Gabriella laugh. "I'm not sure what he wanted to do."

"If he was happy than I guess its okay." Gabriella shrugged as she twirled the pasta around her fork.

"I'm glad you're somewhat supportive of him." Mrs. Bolton laughed quietly.  
"Can I ask you a serious question?" Gabriella asked her.

"Sure, what is it?" She asked.

"Do you think it's hypocritical of me to be mad at Will…" Gabriella paused as Mrs. Bolton laughed softly. "If I was the one who invited him?" She asked.

Mrs. Bolton's laugh stopped, and her fork dropped onto her bowl as she looked sadly over at a teary eyed Gabriella.

"Oh, Gabriella." She exclaimed in a whisper, taking her hands in hers. "You invited Will?" She asked quietly.

"I just wanted Troy to be happy, Mariah. I never expected him to leave." She said shaking her head quickly. "I'm sorry." She told her as a few tears slipped down her cheek.

"It's not your fault." Mrs. Bolton said as she pulled her into a hug. "You're an incredible person, Gabriella." She told her.

"I fell for him, Mariah." She admitted as she hugged her. "I didn't mean to." She sniffled.

"I don't think anyone means to fall in love." Mrs. Bolton said as she became teary eyed, pulling away from Gabriella so that she could see her face. She wiped away Gabriella's tears as she smiled softly. "Mr. Bolton and I knew fate brought you together." She smirked.

"But we're not together." Gabriella replied, confused by her own thoughts.

"If fate has brought you together once, I'm sure you'll be together again." Mrs. Bolton smiled as she patted Gabriella's hand.

"Do you really believe that?" Gabriella asked with a sigh.

"Yes, honey, I believe that with all of my heart." Mrs. Bolton smiled.

"Thank you." Gabriella whispered as a smile appeared through her tear stained face.

"No need to thank me, Gabriella." She smiled as she sighed, turning back to her pasta. "I'm just glad that you realized that you loved my son." She replied.

"Gosh, it's like everyone but me knew this." Gabriella said with a laugh.

"Yes, well, we've had discussions." Mrs. Bolton said as if talking about Troy and Gabriella's relationship when they weren't there was no big deal.

"What?" Gabriella asked curiously.

Mrs. Bolton smiled, shrugging.

"You thought the basketball team was at _your_ house a lot." She laughed quietly.

"Mariah!" Gabriella exclaimed with a laugh.

Mrs. Bolton laughed loudly, tossing her head back as she let a nice sound flow out of her mouth. Gabriella watched her with a smile, noticing once again how much Mrs. Bolton looked like Troy. She giggled, twirling more pasta around her fork, putting it in her mouth once it was securely knotted around her fork and she smiled as she looked over at Troy's shoes. It felt like he was still there and in more ways than none, he was.

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**unknownbyhim22**


	21. I'll email you

**Hey everyone! Mid-terms are over! Yay! I'm updating now because I don't have anything to do and because all the reviews I got made me want to update now instead of waiting until tomorrow! Enjoy! **

* * *

I'll Email You

Chapter twenty one

I'll email you

Troy sat on the sandy beach, the evening air swirling around him as the waves crashed in front of him. The sun was setting, a loner pelican sitting on the ledge of the fence behind him as if it was watching it with him. It had been a few days since he left and he was now pondering his decisions as he let the soft sand run threw his fingers.

When he first got to California, Troy was happy, so excited as all of his Californian friends greeted him on the beach. It felt like old times as he surfed with Will and his other guy friends and it felt just as great as he watched the tan and toned beach girls that he grew up with since kindergarten walk past him. Everything seemed just how he left it, but at the same time, everything felt oddly different.

Zeke wasn't manning the smoothie sack and his mom wasn't in her usually lounge chair reading one of her romantic novels like he was so used to seeing and he also wasn't getting any emails from the one girl that always seemed interested in his Californian adventures. He felt like a visitor, a tourist observing something they've never seen before.

Tossing a handful of sand to the side, Troy sighed and inhaled the salty air. He smiled as he saw dolphins in the distant ocean and he turned when he heard someone coming up behind him.

"Hey, man." He smiled as he saw Will.

"You disappeared after dinner." Will observed. "Have you been here?"

"Yeah." Troy nodded. "It's my favorite spot." He smiled.

"I didn't know that." Will told him.

Troy expected him not to know, but he felt a weird feeling in his stomach as he nodded. He was too used to someone always knowing his favorite things.

"What's going on with you, dude?" Will asked his friend as he sat down next to him. "You don't seem like yourself." He pointed out.

Troy shrugged, not knowing himself as he looked out at the sunset.

"I guess I'm just homesick." He told him.

Will nodded slowly, picking up some sand in his hand.

"But this is your home." Will replied.

Troy sat still as he heard Will and he sighed, knowing now what was wrong with him.

"You know when I left California with my family, I don't remember once feeling homesick, man." He told him. "I missed the ocean being right next to my house, sure, but I didn't feel lost without it."

"And now?" Will asked him.

"I feel lost." Troy told him quietly. "I left the important things behind."

"I understand." Will nodded, honestly knowing what he meant. "I lied when I said I missed the ocean when I was in Albuquerque. I actually missed Tammy."

Troy chuckled softly, poking the sand with his hand. He nodded, understanding.

"You're whipped, man." He smiled.

"Hey, you're the one sitting in front of a beautiful ocean, wanting to go home." Will said with a laugh, shoving Troy lightly.

Troy shrugged looking out in front of him.

"So, it's the girl, isn't it?" Will asked seriously.

"What do you mean?" Troy asked with a soft laugh.

"You love her?"

"My mom? Of course." Troy joked, shrugging as Will eyed him. "I guess you could say that."

"I have to tell you something, dude, before you go." Will said to him, sighing.

"What?" Troy asked.

"Gabriella invited me to Albuquerque. It wasn't just some spur of the moment thing like I said it was." He told him.

"But… how?" Troy asked in shock, not expecting this at all. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"She wanted you to be happy, Troy." Will explained. "She wanted you to have the best time and not have to thank her for it. She knew you missed California and she thought it would be a good idea."

"And then I left." Troy whispered.

"You didn't know, man." Will replied. "I should have told you, I guess."

"Dude, I have to go." Troy said as he stood up, worried. "Thanks for telling me." He said, jogging away.

"Hey, Troy!" Will called after him, catching up with him.

"Yeah?" Troy asked.

"I'll email you." He chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

"Shut up, man." Troy laughed, leaving Will as he ran towards the nearest airport, not even considering the fact that Will could have easily driven him.

***

Troy looked at the clock on his cell phone as he bent over, setting his hands on his knees as he panted, his chest burning, over worked. It was eleven o'clock at night and he had caught the earliest flight back to Albuquerque after running about three miles to the airport. He picked his shirt up off of his chest, sniffing it, making sure he didn't have extreme body odor and he started his run again, reminding himself to thank Chad for giving him extra strength deodorant after the last practice at East High. He laughed at himself, thinking as he jogged onto the Montez's front porch.

Ringing the doorbell, Troy became nervous. He had no idea what he was going to say. He had no idea why he didn't plan this out more; why he didn't catch a plane in the morning! He heard footsteps and then the door open and he couldn't help but gasp. A middle aged woman stood at the door, looking at him suspiciously, as if he was a stranger, and to her, he was.

"Can I help you?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Who are you?" He asked, although he already had a pretty good idea of who she was, he had to ask, and he couldn't help but notice that he sounded rude.

"Shouldn't I be asking the questions to the strange teen on my doorstep?" She asked with a raise of her eyebrows.

"I'm Troy Bolton." He said.

"If you're selling something, we don't want anything. Read the sign." She said, pointing to the left hand corner of the window next to the door that had a 'no solicitation' sticker on it.

Troy couldn't believe it. She had no idea who he was!

"I'm Gabriella's best friend." He explained.

"Last time I check, Taylor and Sharpay were her best friends." She said.

Was she testing him?

"Okay…" He whispered, trying to think of something to say. "Is Gabriella here?"

"No." Mrs. Montez sighed. "She had a fit and left."

"A fit?" Troy questioned.

"You know, how do I know you're not some kind of stalker? Should I really be telling you this?" She asked.

"Mom, who's at the door?" He heard Charlie asked and then he saw him appear behind her, looking shocked when he saw him. "Troy?" He asked.

"Oh, good, you know him." Mrs. Montez said. "Take care of him, will you?" She ordered, leaving Troy rudely at the door.

"What the hell, Troy?" Charlie said, his eyes darkening.

Troy furrowed his brow, watching as Charlie stepped closer to the door way, leaning against the door frame.

"I'm looking for Gabriella." He explained.

"She's not here." Charlie told him, shaking his head. "Why are you back?"

"I realized that I shouldn't have left in the first time." Troy admitted.

"You freaking realize that now?" Charlie whisper yelled, reaching his hand out and grabbing Troy by the shirt, pulling him towards him so that they were face to face. "You hurt my little sister, Troy." He hissed. "If you don't find her by the end of the night, I'll kill you, do you hear me?" He asked angrily.

"I'll find her." Troy said angrily, pushing Charlie away from him.

"I hope you do because Gabriella would hate me if she never gets to be Mrs. Bolton, ass hole." He said, slamming the door in Troy's face.

If Charlie was any indication of how Gabriella was going to react, Troy was scared and he wasn't afraid of admitting that as he ran to his house, got in his car, and drove everywhere he thought she might be and in each place he looked, she wasn't there.

Troy parked his car in his driveway, slowly walking into his house.

"Jack is that you?" He heard his mom call from the family room.

"No, mom, it's me." He said as he maneuvered his way through the dark house.

"Troy?!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing home? You look terrible!" She commented as she saw him.

"Thanks." He mumbled as he came closer to her, sighing as she put her hand on his forehead.

"Are you getting sick?" She asked him.

"No. I just ran home." He explained.

"Where's all of your stuff?" She asked him.

"I left it there." He sighed.

"Are you getting it back?" She asked. "That stuff was kind of important to you."

"Don't worry." He sighed softly. "Sharpay already sent me a new picture of Gabriella." He explained, making his mom smile.

"Sweetheart." Mrs. Bolton said in a motherly tone as she gestured towards the couch, sitting down next to him. "What happened?"

"I came back." He told her. "And I can't find Gabriella."

"Did you see if she was home?" She asked him.

"She wasn't there." He sighed, breathing deeply. "I think you were right, mom. I think I did lose her."

"No." Mrs. Bolton replied quickly, shaking her head. "You didn't, honey. Maybe you're just not looking in the right places." She smiled.

"But I looked everywhere. It's not like she'd be standing…" Troy slowly trailed off, jumping off of the couch and over the coffee table as he ran outside.

Troy sprinted towards the street corner a few houses down from his and he slowed down, breathing deeply and feeling his knees become weak as he saw her. There she was in his East High basketball t-shirt, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a few tears running down her cheeks. There she stood, his best friend, in her spot on her balcony, watching him, waiting for him.

He jogged towards her house, too tired to run as fast as he could and he stopped when he was standing on her front lawn, staring up at her.

"Gabs…" He started.

"Why are you here, Troy?" She asked him between sniffles.

He wasn't sure if she sounded happy or pissed, but he smiled anyways.

"I realized once I got to California that where ever I am, it won't be the same without you there with me." He told her smiling.

"Well, I'm not going to California with you." She said harshly.

"I'm not asking you to." Troy answered.

Troy kept his eyes on her as she looked down at him, her tears disappearing in the air as they fell the long distance. He waited, wanting her to say something.

"You left me." She said as she gripped the railing of her balcony, letting the blanket slide off of her shoulders.

"I know." He said, ashamed. "I promise, Gabs, that I'll never leave you again."

"I can't believe you." She told him, shaking as more tears escaped from her eyes.

"Why?" He whispered.

"Because you already did once. What will stop you from leaving again?" She asked him, feeling her already broken heart break some more as she looked into his pleading eyes.

"Because that's not what best friends do." He told her, smiling. "And that's not what you do to the people you love."

She let out a soft cry, putting her hands over her eyes as she let tears pour out of her eyes. She never planned on letting him see her like this again, but just like before, he was putting his arms around her before she fell to the ground. The only difference this time was that he had to climb a tree to get to her and she was crying because she loved him too.

"I still can't." She said against his chest, wiping away her tears before she moved away from him.

"Why?" He asked her sadly.

"Because I can't promise you the same thing." She sniffled, stepping away from him so that she was closer to her balcony doors.

"I don't understand." He said quietly, looking intently at her.

And then he saw them. The bags on her bedroom floor, the luggage packed to their fullest, the empty dresser drawers. He frowned, stepping away from her and towards the tree, pulling himself off of the balcony.

"Goodbye, Gabriella Montez." He said to her, watching as tears fell from her eyes.

"Goodbye, Troy Bolton." She replied in a whisper.

Troy climbed down the tree, sticking his hands in his pocket as he walked away from the balcony. He felt tears streaming down his own face, swearing as he wiped them away in embarrassment. Gabriella yelled after him, leaning against the banister.

"I'll email you!" She screamed to him, her voice cracking.

Troy picked up his pace, his legs moving quicker than ever and Gabriella watched him leave her again, knowing it was her fault.

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**One more chapter! Review!**

**Much love, **

**unknownbyhim22**


	22. Last Day of Summer

**Hey everyone! This is the last chapter! I got a lot of strongly worded reviews for the previous chapter and I'm hoping you guys aren't too upset about it. :) This chapter will probably make you a lot happier! Enjoy!**

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I'll Email You

Chapter twenty two

Last Day of Summer

Zeke and Charlie stood by the grill in Sharpay's backyard as the cheese on the burgers bubbled in perfection. The sky was a bright blue, the clearest the group had seen it in a while and Sharpay smiled as she took a sip of her smoothie, walking over to her lounge chair. Taylor was in the pool with Chad and Troy, learning how to swim, of course, and Troy was making sure she didn't drown Chad in the effort to keep herself afloat. There was barely any wind, the smell of summer consuming the air. The many windows of the Evan's house sparkled as the sun hit them and Sharpay smirked: everything was perfect.

"Shar, do you like the smoothie?" Zeke asked from his spot by the grill, grinning as she lay perfectly in her pink bathing suit.

"It's amazing!" She told him, closing her eyes as the sun poked through the bottom of her sunglasses. "Whenever you get a chance to bring me over one of my cookies, will you?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second." He smiled.

Going over to the plate of cookies on the table next to the grill, Zeke skimmed the many different flavors, seeing the Taylor and Gabriella cookie, smiling as he saw the Zeke, Troy, and Chad cookie and then finally he found the one he was looking for. Walking over to Sharpay, he kissed her on the cheek, setting the cookie on her toned stomach.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"No problem." He replied, going back to the grill.

"Tay, I'm telling you, you will not drown!" Chad reassured Taylor for the ninth time in the last five minutes.

"I know, but I don't want to let go of you." She said, winking at him.

"On any regular day, that comment would have worked, but you need to let go of me to learn how to swim." He smiled.

"Fine." She huffed, letting go of him as she screeched, doing the doggy paddle quickly to get the experience over with.

"See! You're doing great!" Chad exclaimed, clapping as she rolled her eyes.

Troy laughed as he treaded water in the deep end, looking at all of his friends enjoying their selves on the last day of the summer. He smiled softly as his sunglasses shaded the sunlight, wondering how Gabriella was doing. He had gotten an email from her that morning, but hadn't seen her since a few weeks ago when he came home from California.

Charlie had forgiven Troy for breaking his sister's heart when he realized that she broke his heart by leaving, although he thought it was an eye for and eye situation. They had gotten closer since Gabriella had left, hanging out as if they were brothers. Chad and Taylor had exchanged 'I love yous' a week earlier and since then they've been inseparable.

The group was all so into what they were currently doing that they didn't notice the skinny brunette tiptoeing through the Evan's back doors in such a perfect black bikini that she was surprised that no one noticed her. She giggled softly, picking up her pace as she began to sprint towards the pool, causing Sharpay to sit up when she felt a breeze brush past her. She screeched when she saw Gabriella soaring over the water, right into the deep end where Troy was at.

Knowing what was going on, the group outside of the pool gathered around Sharpay's lounge chair, watching the couple in the pool with huge smiles on their faces. Troy squinted as someone; he assumed it was Chad, did a cannon ball into the deep end, covering his sunglasses with water.

Gabriella took a breath of air as she surfaced and she smiled, swimming over to Troy, pulling his foggy sunglasses off of him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she put the sunglasses over her eyes. Troy's grip on her tightened as he realized that she was the one causing all of the commotion, and he smiled, looking at his beautiful best friend.

She looked older as she smiled, her teeth somewhat whiter, her skin tanner, her hair curlier, her overall look older, but maybe that was because he hadn't seen her in so long. She smiled, noticing how he was just staring at her now, saying nothing as he smiled giddily.

"Yes, Troy, thanks for asking, science camp was great." She smiled.

Troy laughed, loving the look of his sunglasses on her and he moved closer to her.

"My questions are going to have to wait." He said to her, bringing his lips to hers as they kissed each other for the first time, savoring the moment as they experienced it.

Gabriella smiled through the kiss, trying to tread water as she continued to kiss him. They pulled away from each other, their eyes sparkling as they smiled.

"I'm in the deep end." She observed, laughing as Troy kissed her again.

"I've been here." He smiled, hearing his friends whistling and hooting from their spots on the side of the pool.

Troy and Gabriella laughed together, choosing to stay in the deep end as their friends jumped in after them, couple after couple, and Charlie to give the biggest splash as he jumped in last. Troy winked at her, happy that after all of this time, no matter where they were or what time it was, they stayed emailing buddies. It was thanks to those emails that they could be in their current relationship. They both knew that no matter what "They'd email each other."

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**Remember when Charlie mentioned science camp in the begining?!? Yeah! You forgot! :) No wonder you were so mad when she "left". Thanks for reading! Review one more time! I have a few OneShots to post, so look out for those! **

**Much love,**

**unknownbyhim22**


	23. I'm The Author

**To My Fellow FanFictioners:**

**This morning I was sadly informed that my story (I'll Email You) has been plagiarized. After some investigating with the help of ****NellieFrellie**** who informed me, I have confirmed that this is true. **

**I hate so much that I have to ramble on and on about this, waste my time, and come off as Sharpay Evan's clone, but this has to be done.**

**FanFiction has been a place for me to share my talent (if we can call it that) and let people talk with me about my stories. I love all of my faithful reviewers and enjoy reading everyone else's stories. **

**Unfortunately, I can not say I'm in the trusting mood today and am therefore postponing my One-Shots until further notice. I'm sorry to those who aren't involved and have been supporting me from the start.**

**I'm sorry for any misunderstandings to the person who plagiarized. I hope it will not happen again.**

**Oh, and I am unknownbyhim22. I did write I'll Email You. I'm not made up. I'm sitting here in the flesh, writing this annoying authors note. So please, let's have some respect for the art of writing and give credit to those who deserve it.**

**Not so much love today,**

**Unknownbyhim22**


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